Module 3: Making Decisions

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Module 3: Making Decisions

European week

What are we going to do today?

• Discuss how decisions are made in the EU
• Short break
• Activity!

What do you know
about the EU?

Governing Europe

• The European Council
• The Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers)
• The European Commission
• The European Parliament

The European Council 

• The political leaders of each member state form the European Council. 
• They draw up the general outline of European Union Policy. 
  
• They meet 4 times a year. This is called the European Summit. 
• We (The Netherlands) are represented by our prime minister. 
• The European Council discusses important topics like the economy or the environment. 

Mark Rutte (for now)

(The Netherlands)

Giorgia Meloni

(Italy)

Olaf Scholz

(Germany)

Petteri Orpo

(Finland)

Kaja Kallas

(Estonia)

Emmanuel Macron

(France)

Council of ministers (27)

• The council of ministers consists out of the ministers from the different member states depending on the subject of the meeting. The composition is different every time. If the subject is education, all the ministers of education come to the meeting!
• The ministers try to ensure that each country more or less agrees with the decision taken. 

If really important decisions need to be made, all countries need to say yes!

Mariëlle Paul (Netherlands)

Ben Weyts (Belgium)

Mats Persson (Sweden)

Mattias Tesfaye (Denmark)

Betta Stark-Watzinger (Germany)

Giuseppe Valditara (Italy)

European Commission (27)

• The European Commission consists out of 27 commissioners, one from each country.  They represent the EU as a whole and do not represent their country.
• They could be compared with our ministers. (different subjects). 
• The Commission proposes new laws and ensures that laws are implemented. 
• It's there to govern the EU!

Věra Jourová 

(Values ​​and transparency)

Janusz Wojciechowski

(Agriculture)

Wopke Hoekstra

(Climate)

Margrethe Vestager

(Digital Age)

Helena Dalli

(Equality)

Nicolas Schmit

(Social Rights and Employment)

European Parliament

• The European Parliament consists out of 751 members. They are elected every five years by the citizens of the Member States.
   The more inhabitants a member state has, the more seats that country has.
• You vote for a party and not a country.

European People's Party

(CDA)

Party of European Socialists

(PVDA)

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

(D66, VVD) 

European Conservatives and Reformists Party

How do you make a law?

The commission initiates a new law: they form a proposal.

They European parliament discusses the proposal and (if necessary) amends it.

The Council of Ministers discuss the proposal. If they agree the law is passed.

The council can also make changes to a proposal, just like the parliament.

National or local authorities implement the law.

The Commission and Court of Justice control the implementation.

Quiz!

How many people does the Council of Ministers consist of?

1. 27
2. 28
3. 751
4. 75

Where does this man belong to?

1. Council of Ministers
2. European Commission
3. European Parliament
4. European Council

Where does this man belong to?

1. Council of Ministers
2. European Commission
3. European Parliament
4. European Council

What does the European commission do?

1. They amend laws
2. They form a proposal
3. They control the implementation
4. They implement the laws

Who can amend laws?

1. The European parliament & The Council of Ministers
2. The European Parliament & The European Council
3. The European Council & The Council of Ministers
4. The European Parliament & The European Commission

How many members does the European Parliament have?

1. 27
2. 28
3. 751
4. 75

Who implement the laws?

1. The European Commission
2. The Council of Ministers
3. National and local authorities
4. The European Council

Short Break! (5 minutes)

Activity!

Each group will represent a country in the European Council You are going to see 2 dilemmas that the EU has to deal with. Discuss a solution for this dilemma with your group from the point of view from your country. Afterwards, you are going to hold a debate with the other groups. In the end you will vote on the best solution.

Dilemma 1

One official European language

Dilemma 2

A European army

Module 3: Making Decisions

The end!