Home › Explained sheets › Institutional and political system
How the European Union works (2/2)
This sheet presents the main institutions of the European Union. It explains the role of each institution.
Key points of the sheet
- The European Council and the Council of the European Union are in Brussels. Their names are similar, but their roles and members are different.
- The European Council sets the main political and budget directions of the EU. It brings together the 27 heads of state or government.
- The Council of the European Union votes on the budget and concludes international agreements, among other things. It brings together ministers chosen according to the subject.
- The European Commission is in Brussels. It proposes the budget and the laws, and it carries out the decisions of the Council and the Parliament.
- The Commission brings together 27 European commissioners, one for each member country. Each commissioner is in charge of one area.
- The European Parliament votes on the budget and the laws with the Council of the EU. It oversees the Commission and brings together 720 members.
- The Court of Justice is in Luxembourg. It delivers justice at European level and checks that states apply European law correctly.
Words to know
- European Council (Conseil européen)
- It brings together the 27 heads of state or government and sets the main directions of the EU.
- Council of the European Union (Conseil de l’Union européenne)
- It brings together ministers of the member countries, chosen by subject, and votes on the EU budget.
- European Commission (Commission européenne)
- It proposes the budget and the laws, and carries out the decisions of the Council and the Parliament.
- European commissioners (commissaires européens)
- There are 27 of them, one per member country, and each is in charge of one area.
- European Parliament (Parlement européen)
- It votes on the budget and the laws with the Council of the EU, and it oversees the Commission.
- members of the European Parliament (députés européens)
- There are 720 of them in the European Parliament, and they form political groups.
- Court of Justice (cour de Justice)
- It is in Luxembourg and deals, for example, with legal disputes between EU institutions or states.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Who sits on the European Council?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui siège au Conseil européen ?
The European Council brings together the 27 heads of state or government of the member countries.
Where is the EU Court of Justice located?
In French, the language of the exam: Où est située la Cour de justice de l'UE ?
The Court of Justice is located in Luxembourg.
Which institution proposes European laws?
In French, the language of the exam: Quelle institution propose les lois européennes ?
The European Commission proposes the budget and proposes the laws. The Parliament votes on the laws.
You have read the sheet. See where you stand with 40 questions like the real exam.
Take the free mock exam (40 questions)Free mock exam · Exam Pass €19 incl. VAT, paid once, no subscription
Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- How many countries are in the European Union?
- In which city is the European Commission based?
- In which city does the European Parliament sit?
- Who sits in the European Parliament?
More in this topic (European institutions)
Source
Sheet “Le fonctionnement européen (2/2)” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.