The EU has 7 official institutions plus key advisory and financial bodies — each with a distinct role defined in the Treaties. Click any institution in the diagram below to see its role, treaty basis, and a targeted exam tip.
🏛️ EU Institutional Architecture
Click any institution to explore its role, treaty basis & exam tip
🌍
European Council
Strategic Direction
🏛️
European Parliament
Co-legislates
OLP
🤝
Council of the EU
Co-legislates
⚙️
Commission
Proposes Legislation
⚖️
Court of Justice
Judicial Review
🔍
Court of Auditors
Financial Oversight
🏦
Central Bank
Monetary Policy
💰
Invest. Bank
EU Financing
Advisory opinions only ↓
💬
EESC
Civil Society
🗺️
Committee of Regions
Regional Bodies
Official Institutions (7)
Financial Bodies
Advisory Bodies
Proposes
Co-decides (OLP)
Treaty Basis
Key Powers
🔢 Composition & Key Numbers
🏛️
European Parliament
720MEPs (2024–29 term)
Min 6 / Max 96 MEPs per state · 5-year term · Directly elected by EU citizens
🌍
European Council
27heads of state/govt
President: 2.5-year term, renewable once · Decides by consensus as a rule
🤝
Council of the EU
55%of states for QMV
+ 65% of EU population · 10 Council configurations (ECOFIN, GAC…) · 6-month rotating presidency
⚙️
European Commission
27Commissioners (1 per state)
5-year term · President elected by EP · College acts collectively as one body
⚖️
Court of Justice (CJEU)
27judges (1 per state)
+ 11 Advocates General · 6-year renewable term · General Court: 54 judges
🔍
Court of Auditors
27members (1 per state)
6-year term · Annual report every autumn · 5 audit chambers by policy area
🏦
European Central Bank
~2%inflation target
Governing Council: 6 ECB Executive Board members + 20 eurozone national central bank governors
💬
EESC
329members
3 groups: Employers / Workers / Civil Society · 5-year term · Advisory opinions only
🗺️
Committee of the Regions
329members
Local & regional authority representatives · 5-year term · Can bring subsidiarity cases to CJEU
📋 Quick Reference: All 10 Bodies
🌍
European Council
EU heads of state/government. Sets political direction. Does NOT legislate. Art. 15 TEU.
🏛️
European Parliament
Directly elected. Co-legislates + budgetary power + scrutinises Commission. 720 MEPs.
🤝
Council of the EU
Member State ministers. Co-legislates with Parliament. Presidency rotates every 6 months.
⚙️
European Commission
Sole right of legislative initiative. Guardian of the Treaties. Executes EU budget.
⚖️
Court of Justice (CJEU)
Uniform interpretation of EU law. Preliminary rulings. Art. 19 TEU. 27 judges.
🔍
Court of Auditors
External auditor of EU finances. Issues annual report. No binding power. Luxembourg.
🏦
European Central Bank
Manages euro and monetary policy for eurozone. Fully independent. Frankfurt.
💰
European Inv. Bank
EU's lending arm for projects aligned with EU priorities. Not an official institution.
💬
EESC
Represents civil society (employers, workers, others). Advisory opinions only. 329 members.
🗺️
Committee of Regions
Local & regional authorities. Advisory role. Can challenge subsidiarity at CJEU. 329 members.