European Commission
The European Commission (formally the
Commission of the European Communit-
ies) is the executive branch of the European
Union. The body is responsible for proposing
legislation, implementing decisions, uphold-
ing the Union’s treaties and the general day-
to-day running of the Union.[1]
The Commission operates in the method of
cabinet government, with 27 Commissioners.
There is one Commissioner per member
state, though Commissioners are bound to
represent the interests of the EU as a whole
rather than their home state. One of the 27 is
the Commission President (currently José
Manuel Durão Barroso) appointed by the
European Council with the approval of the
European Parliament. The present Barroso
Commission took office in late 2004 and
should serve a five-year term.[1]
The term "Commission" can mean either
the College of Commissioners mentioned
above, or the larger institution; including the
administrative
body
of
about
25,000
European civil servants who are in depart-
ments called Directorates-General.
It
is
primarily based in the Berlaymont building of
Brussels and its internal working languages
are English, French and German.[1]
European Union
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History
The European Commission derives from one
of the five key institutions created in the
supranational European Community system,
following the proposal of Robert Schuman,
French Foreign Minister, on 9 May 1950. Ori-
gi