EU Institutions Explained: A Candidate's Cheat Sheet

EU institutional knowledge is tested in every EPSO competition. The challenge is not that the material is difficult — it is that there is a lot of it, and candidates struggle to distinguish what is tested from what is trivia. This cheat sheet covers exactly what you need.

The 7 EU Institutions

The Treaty of Lisbon defines 7 official EU institutions. You must know all of them.

1. The European Parliament

Role: Co-legislator and budgetary authority

Key facts:

• 720 MEPs elected directly by EU citizens every 5 years
• Seats in Strasbourg (monthly plenary sessions) and Brussels (committee work)
• President elected by MEPs for a 2.5-year term
• Organised into political groups, not national delegations
• Has no general right of legislative initiative — can only amend or reject Commission proposals (with narrow exceptions for its own rules)
• Must approve the EU budget and can reject it entirely
• Approves the appointment of the European Commission

EPSO trap: The Parliament does NOT have the right of legislative initiative. Only the Commission does.

2. The European Council

Role: Sets overall political direction and priorities

Key facts:

• Composed of heads of state or government of all 27 member states, plus its own President and the Commission President
• President serves 2.5-year terms (renewable once)
• Meets at least 4 times per year ("EU summits")
• Decisions typically by consensus
• Does NOT pass legislation

EPSO trap: The European Council and the Council of the European Union are different institutions. Do not confuse them. (Also, neither should be confused with the Council of Europe, which is not an EU institution at all.)

3. The Council of the European Union

Role: Co-legislator representing member state governments

Key facts:

• Ministers from each member state, meeting in 10 different configurations (ECOFIN, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, etc.)
• Rotating 6-month presidency (except Foreign Affairs, chaired by the High Representative)
• Votes by qualified majority (55% of member states representing 65% of EU population) for most areas
• Unanimity required for taxation, foreign policy, social security, and treaty changes
• Works with the Parliament to adopt legislation

4. The European Commission

Role: Executive body, initiates legislation, enforces EU law

Key facts:

• 27 Commissioners (one per member state), each responsible for a policy portfolio
• President proposed by the European Council, elected by the Parliament
• College of Commissioners approved by the Parliament as a whole
• Near-exclusive right of legislative initiative (with limited exceptions in specific treaty areas)
• "Guardian of the Treaties" — can take member states to the CJEU for non-compliance
• Headquartered in Brussels (Berlaymont building)

This is where most EPSO jobs are. The Commission is the largest EU employer.

5. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)

Role: Interprets EU law, ensures uniform application across member states

Key facts:

• Two courts: the Court of Justice (senior) and the General Court
• Court of Justice: 27 judges (one per member state) plus 11 Advocates General
• General Court: 54 judges (two per member state since 2019)
• Based in Luxembourg
• Key procedures: preliminary rulings (from national courts), infringement actions (Commission vs member state), annulment actions

6. The European Central Bank (ECB)

Role: Monetary policy for the eurozone

Key facts:

• Sets interest rates and manages the euro
• Based in Frankfurt
• Governing Council: 6 Executive Board members + governors of national central banks of eurozone countries
• Independent from political institutions — no government or institution may seek to influence it

EPSO trap: The ECB manages monetary policy for the eurozone (21 members since January 2026), not the entire EU (27 members).

7. The European Court of Auditors (ECA)

Role: Audits EU finances

Key facts:

• 27 members (one per member state), appointed for 6-year terms
• Based in Luxembourg
• Checks that EU funds are collected and spent correctly
• Publishes an annual report and special reports
• Has no legal enforcement power — findings are sent to the Parliament and Council

Advisory Bodies (Bonus)

Two advisory bodies are not institutions but frequently appear in EPSO tests:

• European Economic and Social Committee (EESC): Represents civil society (employers, workers, other interests). Consulted on many legislative proposals.
• Committee of the Regions (CoR): Represents regional and local authorities. Consulted on policies affecting regions.

Quick Memory Framework

Think of the EU institutional system as having three branches:

• Legislative: Parliament + Council (together they adopt laws proposed by the Commission)
• Executive: Commission (proposes laws, implements policies, enforces compliance)
• Judicial: CJEU (interprets and enforces the law)

Plus the European Council (strategic direction), ECB (monetary policy), and ECA (financial oversight).

This framework covers 80% of what EPSO tests on institutions.