Understanding EU Institutions, Finances, and Procedures
EU Institutions and Their Roles
ORG AND SDS: European Parliament; represents the interests of citizens (Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg)
Council: represents the member states (Brussels)
European Commission: defends the interests of the EU (Brussels)
Court of Justice: ensures compliance with European legislation (Luxembourg)
Court of Auditors: controls the financing of EU activities (Luxembourg)
Advisory and Financial Bodies
Bodies: European Ombudsman (Strasbourg)
Advisory: European Economic and Social Committee (Strasbourg), Committee of the Regions (Brussels)
Financial: European Central Bank (Frankfurt), European Investment Bank (Luxembourg)
EU Legal Framework
NOR +:
- Regulations: compulsory application directly.
- Directives: require transposition by member states, not directly applicable.
- Decisions: binding on those to whom they are addressed.
- Recommendations and opinions: not binding, recommendatory.
Citizen Rights
Rights:
- Freedom of movement and residence in all member states.
- Right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections.
- Consular protection.
- Right to appeal to the jurisdiction of one’s country.
- Right to send petitions to the Parliament, complaints to the Commission, or complaints to the Ombudsman.
EU Finances and Budget
Economic and Social Cohesion: ERDF, ESF, EAGGF, EFF
The EU Budget (PGE)
Annual expression of estimated income and expenses. Governed by Law 47/2003.
General Budgetary Law: governs the preparation of necessary budget projects, organized into titles, chapters, and sections.
Stability Budget: prohibits member states from spending more than their income.
Accompanying Measures: fiscal, administrative, and social measures that accompany the budget.
Budget Cycle
Preparation (by government), approval (by legislative bodies), execution (by government), control (by internal and external auditors).
General Principles of Budget Law
Governs the publication of budgets, financial operations, public treasury, public accounting, and responsibilities related to budget intervention and social security accounting.
Classification of Income and Expenses
- By chapters: income and expenses are separated.
- By sections: grouping of credits by organizational function.
- Functional groups: credits based on the services they provide.
- By program: annual expression of government action plans.
Public Revenue
Tax revenue, transfers, property income, real estate investments, transfers of capital assets, financial archives.
Public Expenditure
Transfers to individuals, purchases of goods and services by the state, which must adhere to accounting principles and be subject to rules ensuring their dedication to meeting a public need.
Classification: economic criteria, impact on consumption, UN criteria.
Principles of Public Administration Performance
Principle of legality, control, unity of budget, accounting principles, and cash management.
Administrative Appeals
Hierarchical Recourse
Term: 1 month if the act was not express. If so, the period will last 3 months and will from the next day to the day in which administrative silence comes into effect.
Organ: superior hierarchical organ.
Resolution: 3 months.
Appeal for Reversal
Body: administrative acts can be appealed via reinstatement to the same organ that delivered them.
Deadline: 1 month if the act was express; if not, 3 months.
Resolution: 1 month.
Special Appeal for Revision
Term: 4 years or 3 months.
Resolution: after 3 months without a response, it shall mean rejected.
Body: Before the administrative organ.
Stages of Procedure
- Initiation of the procedure
- Organization of the procedure
- Instruction of the procedure
- Finalization of the procedure
- Execution of the procedure