European Commission

European Commission branch of the governing body of the European Union (EU) invested with executive and some legislative powers. Located in Brussels, Belgium, it was founded in 1967 when the three treaty organizations comprising what was then the European Community (EC) were officially merged; previously, each organization was governed by a separate commission. The commission is composed of 30 members—two from each of the five largest EU nations and one from each of the others. Members are appointed by agreement among the member nations and serve four-year terms. One member serves as president and six serve as vice presidents. A large administrative staff, numbering some 24,000, is divided among many committees and administrative agencies. The commission implements the provisions of the EU's founding treaties and carries out rules issued by the Council of the European Union .

In keeping with the objective of the founding treaties, the commission initiates EU policy on the economy in particular but, increasingly, also on environmental and foreign and security affairs. The legislation it drafts is subject to amendment by the European Parliament and to ratification by the Council of the European Union. It was under the presidency of Jacques Delors (1985-95) that the commission put forward the Single European Act (1987) and the Treaty of European Union (1992; also known as the Maastricht Treaty), both of which provided for a significant expansion of the EU's powers. In 1995, Jacques Santer of Belgium became president of the commission. The entire commission resigned in 1999 amid accusations of financial mismanagement, corruption, fraud, and nepotism, and a new set of commissioners, with Romano Prodi of Italy as president, was appointed later the same year. In 2004, José Manuel Barroso succeeded Prodi as president.

European Advisory Commission, established by the UK, USA, and USSR in London in late 1943 after an agreement to form it had been reached at the Moscow conference that October. Its terms were to formulate surrender terms for Germany and its Axis satellites, and it drew up the arrangements for the post-war occupation and control of Austria and Germany (see Allied Control Commissions which were discussed at the Yalta conference (see ARGONAUT) in February 1945 and at the Potsdam conference (see TERMINAL) that July. It also considered any questions on the liberation of Allied countries which were submitted by any of the governments of the three participating powers.

European Commission Institution responsible for initiating and implementing European Union (EU) policy. The Commission drafts policy proposals, which it submits to the European Council of Ministers and the European Parliament (EP). It was established (1967) with the creation of the European Community (EC). There are 20 commissioners, two from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK, and one each from the remaining member states. Each commissioner has responsibility for a different policy area and pledges loyalty to the EU rather than individual member states. The commissioners elect the President of the Commission for a four-year term. The Commission heads a secretariat of c.15,000 civil servants based in Brussels. It is responsible to the European Parliament, which can remove it on a censure motion carried by a two-thirds majority. In 1999, following charges of corruption, Jacques Santer and his commissioners resigned.

http://eu.int/comm/index_en.htm