European Commission
international
| European Commission link Powerbase Sourcewatch | |
|---|---|
| File:European Commission.png | |
| Formation | 1958 |
| Leader | President of the European Commission |
| Type | international |
| Staff | 23,000 |
| Sponsor of | Innovative Medicines Initiative,Privacy International,Institute for Strategic Dialogue,Kofi Annan Foundation,Article 19,European Stability Initiative,European Platform for Democratic Elections,German Council on Foreign Relations,Reporters Without Borders,Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations,GLOBSEC,Bellingcat,Euronews,ARTE,Il Sole 24 Ore,Gazeta Wyborcza,ZDF,Bayerischer Rundfunk,Kathimerines,RAI,France Télévisions,RTVE,TV2 (Denmark),Agence France-Presse,Deutsche Presse-Agentur,Associated Press |
| The executive body of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing day-to-day business. | |
The European Commission (EC) is the unelected executive branch of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU.
Commissioners
- Full article: European Commissioner
- Full article: European Commissioner
This EU institution operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "commissioners"). There is one member per member state, but members are bound by their oath of office to represent the general interest of the EU as a whole rather than their home state.
Commissioners swear an oath at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg City, pledging to respect the treaties and to be completely independent in carrying out their duties during their mandate, a promise that is more honoured in the breach than the observance, as few organizations are as heavily dominated by lobbyists as the European Union.[1] It is common, although not a formal requirement, that the commissioners have previously held senior political positions, such as being a member of the European Parliament or a government minister.
Activities
Five days after the mass murder in Paris in November 2015, the European Commission announced a package of measures that "strengthens control of firearms across the EU".[2]
Media funding
A 2025 report by the think tank MCC Brussels described[3] "a sprawling ecosystem in which the European Commission and the European Parliament collectively disburse close to €80 million annually to media projects across Europe and beyond. While often framed as support for media freedom and pluralism, this funding frequently advances explicitly pro-EU narratives, raising serious concerns about editorial independence, political influence and democratic integrity...Many projects are presented as supporting media freedom, pluralism or European values. In practice, they frequently serve to:
- promote pro-EU narratives
- marginalise dissent and critical perspectives
- construct a top-down 'European public sphere'.
The EU also funds media outlets in Ukraine, the Western Balkans, the South Caucasus and Russian/Belarusian exile media. These efforts, under the guise of 'supporting democracy', often reflect geopoliticaland strategic goals, mirroring methods associated with USAID-style influence campaigns."[3]