International Relations/The European Union/Institutions

The European Union has created seven main institutions:

Institutions of the European Union

European Parliament - Legislative (lower house) -		European Council - Sets impetus and direction -		Council of the European Union - Legislative (upper house) -		European Commission - Executive -
acts together with the Council as a legislator shares with the Council the budgetary power and decides in the last instance on the general budget of the EU exerts the democratic control over EU institutions including the European Commission and appoints the Commission members based and plenary sessions in Strasbourg, General Secretariat in Luxembourg, primarily meets in Brussels		summit of the Heads of Government, chaired by the President of the European Council) gives the necessary impetus for the development and sets out general objectives and priorities will not legislate based in Brussels		acts together with the Parliament as a legislator exerts together with the Parliament the budgetary power ensures coordination of the broad economic and social policy and sets out guidelines for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) conclude international agreements based in Brussels		is the "government" submits proposals for new legislation to the Parliament and to the Council implements EU policy and administers the European Union budget|budget ensures compliance with EU law negotiates international treaties based in Brussels

	Court of Justice of the European Union - Judiciary -		European Court of Auditors - Financial auditor -		European Central Bank - Monetary executive (central bank) -
	ensure uniformity of interpretation of European law has the power to decide legal disputes between EU member states, EU institutions, businesses and individuals based in Luxembourg		shall examine the proper use of revenue and expenditure of the EU institutions based in Luxembourg		forms together with the national central banks the European System of Central Banks and thereby determining the monetary policy of the EU ensures price stability in the eurozone by controlling the money supply based in Frankfurt am Main