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WorksheetsHow does the EU work?
Total questions: 16
Worksheet time: 8mins
As well as being the capital of Belgium, Brussels is often referred to as the capital of Europe as this is where the main institutions are based.
Which of the following statements is true?
The European Commission decides on all new EU laws and actions.
The European Commission proposes new legislation while the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament make the final decision on all EU laws.
The European Council, made up of presidents and prime ministers of the EU countries, adopts EU laws.
The European Commission is made up of one Commissioner per EU country. Together they make up the College of Commissioners.
Which of these statements is true?
Commissioners are proposed by their national governments and must be approved by the European Parliament.
The Commissioners represent the views of their respective countries.
To be a Commissioner you first need to be a civil servant in your own country.
The European Parliament is the voice of the people. It represents the citizens of EU countries in decision-making matters.
Which of these statements is true?
Countries with large populations have more Members of Parliament (MEPs) than countries with small populations.
The Members of the European Parliament are appointed by national parliaments.
EU citizens directly elect the Members of the European Parliament every four years
The Council of the European Union represents the governments of the EU countries. Ministers from all member states meet to discuss EU matters and make decisions on EU policies and laws.
Which of these statements is true?
Each EU country leads the work of the Council in turn for one year.
All decisions taken in the Council must be agreed unanimously.
Each minister in the Council votes on behalf of his or her own government.
The European Council brings together the heads of state or government of the EU countries. Their meetings are often referred to as 'European summits'.
Which of these statements is true?
The European Council meets in Strasbourg once a month.
The European Council sets the EU's main priorities and overall policy direction.
A president appointed for two years chairs the European Council.
The Court of Justice of the European Union was set up in 1952 to ensure that EU law is interpreted and applied in the same way in every EU country.
Which of these statements is true?
In order to simplify its work, the languages used for all cases managed by the Court of Justice are only English, French and German.
The Court of Justice is based in Frankfurt.
If a national court is in doubt about the interpretation of an EU law, it can ask the Court of Justice for clarification.
European citizens can influence EU policies in a number of ways, for instance by launching or supporting a European citizens’ initiative.
Which of these statements is true?
One million people from at least seven EU countries are needed to launch a European citizens’ initiative.
There are no minimum age requirements for supporting an initiative.
Any EU citizen can ask the Commission to propose the creation of a law.
Who am I?
Here are some clues:
I am the President of a European institution and was elected by the European Parliament for a period of 5 years;
I head up a team known as the ‘college’. Our task is to promote the interests of the European Union as a whole;
I am the first woman to be elected for this role.
You are Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
You are Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
You are Emily O'Reilly, the European Ombudsman.
Who am I?
I coordinate and carry out the EU's policy towards other countries and organisations;
I represent the EU on the international stage, for example at the United Nations;
I used to be a Spanish Minister and President of the European Parliament between 2004 and 2007.
You are David Maria Sassoli President of the European Parliament.
You are Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice.
You are Josep Borrell, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.
Who am I?
I am President of a European institution that represents EU citizens;
I sign the EU budget to approve it;
I used to be an Italian politician and journalist.
You are Klaus-Heiner Lehne, President of the European Court of Auditors.
You are Mário Centeno, President of the Eurogroup.
You are David Maria Sassoli, President of the European Parliament.
Who am I?
I am the President of a European institution, and have been appointed for two and a half years;
I chair the meetings with heads of state or government from the member states;
I was Prime Minister of Belgium for five years.
You are Klaus-Heiner Lehne, President of the European Court of Auditors.
You are Charles Michel, President of the European Council.
You are Mário Centeno, President of the Eurogroup.
How many meetings ('sessions') does the European Parliament have throughout the year and where do they take place?
12 sessions in Brussels, up to six in Strasbourg.
12 sessions in Strasbourg, up to six in Brussels.
12 sessions in Strasbourg, six in Brussels.
Approximately 33 000 people work at the European Commission carrying out a variety of jobs as administrative staff, experts, translators, interpreters and assistants.
Which of the statements below is true?
You don’t have to be an EU citizen to work for the European Commission.
The Commission’s staff is selected through recruitment competitions and is made up of citizens from each of the EU countries.
Before being recruited as a Commission’s staff, it is mandatory that you follow an EU traineeship.
What is the role of the European Council in the EU?
The European Council sets the EU's main priorities and overall policy direction.
The European Council is responsible for proposing new legislation.
The European Council represents the citizens of EU countries in decision-making matters.
How are Commissioners appointed to the European Commission?
Commissioners are proposed by their national governments and must be approved by the European Parliament.
Commissioners are elected by the citizens of EU countries.
Commissioners are appointed by the President of the European Council.
What is the main function of the Court of Justice of the European Union?
To ensure that EU law is interpreted and applied consistently across all EU countries.
To propose new laws and regulations for the EU.
To represent the governments of the EU countries in decision-making.
