CELEX ID: 12016M017

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Document:
7.6.2016
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 202/25
Article 17
1.   The Commission shall promote the general interest of the Union and take appropriate initiatives to that end. It shall ensure the application of the Treaties, and of measures adopted by the institutions pursuant to them. It shall oversee the application of Union law under the control of the Court of Justice of the European Union. It shall execute the budget and manage programmes. It shall exercise coordinating, executive and management functions, as laid down in the Treaties. With the exception of the common foreign and security policy, and other cases provided for in the Treaties, it shall ensure the Union's external representation. It shall initiate the Union's annual and multiannual programming with a view to achieving interinstitutional agreements.
2.   Union legislative acts may only be adopted on the basis of a Commission proposal, except where the Treaties provide otherwise. Other acts shall be adopted on the basis of a Commission proposal where the Treaties so provide.
3.   The Commission's term of office shall be five years.
The members of the Commission shall be chosen on the ground of their general competence and European commitment from persons whose independence is beyond doubt.
In carrying out its responsibilities, the Commission shall be completely independent. Without prejudice to Article 18(2), the members of the Commission shall neither seek nor take instructions from any Government or other institution, body, office or entity. They shall refrain from any action incompatible with their duties or the performance of their tasks.
4.   The Commission appointed between the date of entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon and 31 October 2014, shall consist of one national of each Member State, including its President and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who shall be one of its Vice-Presidents.
5.   As from 1 November 2014, the Commission shall consist of a number of members, including its President and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, corresponding to two thirds of the number of Member States, unless the European Council, acting unanimously, decides to alter this number.
The members of the Commission shall be chosen from among the nationals of the Member States on the basis of a system of strictly equal rotation between the Member States, reflecting the demographic and geographical range of all the Member States. This system shall be established unanimously by the European Council in accordance with Article 244 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
6.   The President of the Commission shall:
(a)
lay down guidelines within which the Commission is to work;
(b)
decide on the internal organisation of the Commission, ensuring that it acts consistently, efficiently and as a collegiate body;
(c)
appoint Vice-Presidents, other than the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, from among the members of the Commission.
A member of the Commission shall resign if the President so requests. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy shall resign, in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 18(1), if the President so requests.
7.   Taking into account the elections to the European Parliament and after having held the appropriate consultations, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, shall propose to the European Parliament a candidate for President of the Commission. This candidate shall be elected by the European Parliament by a majority of its component members. If he does not obtain the required majority, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, shall within one month propose a new candidate who shall be elected by the European Parliament following the same procedure.
The Council, by common accord with the President-elect, shall adopt the list of the other persons whom it proposes for appointment as members of the Commission. They shall be selected, on the basis of the suggestions made by Member States, in accordance with the criteria set out in paragraph 3, second subparagraph, and paragraph 5, second subparagraph.
The President, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the other members of the Commission shall be subject as a body to a vote of consent by the European Parliament. On the basis of this consent the Commission shall be appointed by the European Council, acting by a qualified majority.
8.   The Commission, as a body, shall be responsible to the European Parliament. In accordance with Article 234 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the European Parliament may vote on a motion of censure of the Commission. If such a motion is carried, the members of the Commission shall resign as a body and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy shall resign from the duties that he carries out in the Commission.

Summary:
The European Commission
SUMMARY OF:
Article 17 Treaty on European Union
Article 18 Treaty on European Union
Article 244 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) – role, composition, powers and functioning of the European Commission
Article 245 TFEU – role, composition, powers and functioning of the European Commission
Article 246 TFEU – role, composition, powers and functioning of the European Commission
Article 247 TFEU – role, composition, powers and functioning of the European Commission
Article 248 TFEU – role, composition, powers and functioning of the European Commission
Article 249 TFEU – role, composition, powers and functioning of the European Commission
Article 250 TFEU – role, composition, powers and functioning of the European Commission
WHAT IS THE AIM OF THESE TREATY ARTICLES?
They set out the role, composition, powers, appointment procedures and functioning of the 
European Commission
, the EU’s executive branch.
KEY POINTS
Role
Proposes new laws
 – the Commission is the sole EU institution that formally presents laws for adoption by the 
European Parliament
 and the 
Council
.
Manages EU policies and allocate EU funding
 – the Commission sets spending priorities along with the Council and the Parliament, and draws up and executes the annual 
budget
.
Enforces EU law
 – together with the 
Court of Justice of the EU
, the Commission ensures that EU law is applied properly in all EU countries.
Represents the EU internationally
 – speaks on behalf of all EU countries in international bodies (such as the 
World Trade Organisation – WTO
).
Composition
The Commission is led politically by a team of 
27 Commissioners
. The College of Commissioners includes one Commissioner from each EU country and includes: 
a 
president
;
7 vice-presidents including 3 executive vice-presidents and the 
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
 and Vice-President of the Commission (HR/VP);
19 Commissioners in charge of portfolios.
The Commission’s work is organised into departments known as directorates-general (DGs), each responsible for a specific policy area.
The president
The 
European Council
 puts forward a candidate for president, taking into account the results of the European Parliament elections. The candidate must have the support of the majority of European Parliament members to be elected. He/she is responsible for: 
establishing the political guidelines for the College of Commissioners;
deciding upon the Commission’s internal organisation and delegating responsibility for particular policy areas to the individual Commissioners – these tasks may be reallocated throughout his/her time in office;
appointing vice-presidents from amongst Members of the Commission, with the exception of the HR/VP.
He/she may also ask a Commissioner to leave his/her post without the College’s approval.
Appointment
By common agreement with the elected president, the Council adopts the list of persons which it proposes to appoint as Members of the Commission, with the exception of the HR/VP.
The HR/VP is appointed by the European Council, in agreement with the President of the Commission.
The Members of the Commission are chosen for their general competence and their independence.
The entire College is approved by a European parliamentary vote.
Summary table
17
Treaty on European Union
18
Appointment and powers of the HR/VP
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
244
, 
245
, 
246
, 
247
, 
248
, 
249
, 
250
Functioning of the Commission
BACKGROUND
For further information, see:
The Commissioners
 (European Commission)
European Commission
 (European Commission)
MAIN DOCUMENTS
Consolidated version of the Treaty on European Union – Title III – Provisions on the institutions – Articles 
17
 and 
18
 (OJ C 202, 
7.6.2016
, 
pp. 26–27
).
Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – Part Six – Institutional and financial provisions – Title I – Institutional provisions – Chapter 1 – The institutions – Section 4 – The Commission – Articles 
244
, 
245
, 
246
, 
247
, 
248
, 
249
 and 
250
 (OJ C 202, 
7.6.2016
, 
pp. 155–157
).
RELATED DOCUMENTS
European Council Decision 
2013/272/EU
 of 
22 May 2013
 concerning the number of members of the European Commission (OJ L 165, 
18.6.2013
, 
p. 98
).
last update 
8.3.2024

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