Article 8: The Commission

From Wikitution

The Commission shall be the day-to-day policy-making body of the Union. (12) It shall consist of a president and 12 commissioners (13), having authority over a civil service. It may propose and draft legislation for the Union, at the direction of the European Council or at the request of the Parliament or the Senate. It shall have the right to bring cases before the Court of Justice. It shall have the general task of ensuring that the laws of the Union are respected.

Acting with a double majority of both members and population represented, the Union Council shall appoint a President of the Commission with the backing of a political majority in Parliament. The President shall be appointed for a term of five years, which may be renewed.

The President of the Commission shall choose his/her commissioners from among members of the Legislature, also for terms of five years, and shall decide their responsibilities. (14) During the term of their office, commissioners suspend their membership of the Legislature. No two commissioners, including the President, may come from the same Member State.

Commissioners shall act in the general interest of the Union. They shall neither seek nor take instruction from any Member State nor from any private interest.

The Commission shall act by a simple majority of its members.

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