Commission of the European Communities

Commission of the European Communities. It was the principal executive body of the European Communities from 1967 until the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2009. Formed by the Merger Treaty, it consolidated the separate executive commissions of the European Economic Community, the European Atomic Energy Community, and the European Coal and Steel Community. The Commission was responsible for proposing community legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the community treaties, and managing the day-to-day business and policies of the European Union.

History and establishment

The Commission of the European Communities was established on 1 July 1967 by the Merger Treaty, which was signed in Brussels in 1965. This treaty aimed to create a single, unified executive body by merging the independent executive institutions of the three existing European Communities: the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community, the Commission of the European Economic Community, and the Euratom Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community. This reform, championed by figures like Walter Hallstein, sought to streamline administration and enhance the coherence of European integration. The first President of the new unified Commission was Walter Hallstein, who had previously served as President of the EEC Commission. The institution's creation marked a significant step in the development of the European Union's institutional architecture, preceding later major treaties like the Maastricht Treaty and the Treaty of Amsterdam.

Composition and appointment

The Commission was composed of a President, several Vice-Presidents, and a number of Commissioners equivalent to the number of member states, though this principle was later modified. Members, known as Commissioners, were appointed by common accord of the governments of the member states for renewable four-year terms, following the entry into force of the Merger Treaty. The President was first among equals and played a key role in allocating portfolios among the college. Notable Presidents included Franco Maria Malfatti, Roy Jenkins, and Jacques Delors, whose tenure saw major initiatives like the Single European Act. The entire college required approval by the European Parliament, which gained the power to veto the appointed Commission through the Treaty of Maastricht, strengthening parliamentary oversight.

Powers and functions

The Commission held the exclusive right of initiative for proposing new community legislation to the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament. It acted as the guardian of the community treaties, with the power to launch infringement proceedings against member states before the European Court of Justice. As the executive, it was responsible for implementing the community budget and managing common policies like the Common Agricultural Policy and competition policy. It also represented the European Communities in international negotiations, such as those under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and played a central role in managing enlargement processes.

Relationship with other EU institutions

The Commission operated within an institutional balance defined by the community treaties. It presented legislative proposals to the Council of the European Union, which represented national governments, and to the directly elected European Parliament. The European Court of Justice could annul Commission decisions found to violate community law. The Commission attended meetings of the European Council but did not have a vote. Its relationship with the European Parliament evolved significantly, particularly after the introduction of the co-decision procedure by the Treaty of Maastricht, which increased parliamentary influence over legislation and executive appointment. The Commission also worked closely with advisory bodies like the European Economic and Social Committee.

Evolution into the European Commission

With the entry into force of the Treaty of Maastricht in 1993, which established the European Union, the Commission of the European Communities continued to serve as the executive for the supranational European Communities pillar. However, the treaty created a broader three-pillar structure, and the institution's role was primarily confined to the first community pillar. The Treaty of Lisbon, which took effect on 1 December 2009, formally dissolved the European Communities and restructured the European Union into a single legal entity. Consequently, the Commission of the European Communities was succeeded by a continued but reformed European Commission, which assumed its full executive functions across all areas of European Union law, ending the distinct legal identity it had held since the Merger Treaty.

Category:European Commission Category:Defunct European Union institutions Category:1967 establishments in Europe Category:2009 disestablishments in Europe