Civics

Task A: The main institutions of the EU
1- Where do they have their seats?

The European Union is formed by 7 European institutions, 7 EU bodies and over 30 agencies
spread across the notions of the EU.
As far as institutions are concerned, the main ones are 4:
➔ The European Parliament, based in Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France) and in
Luxembourg.
Its main task is to represent its citizens. In addition, it takes decisions on European laws
and approves the EU budget.
➔ The European Council, based in Brussels, defines the general political direction and
priorities of the European Union.
The European Council is chaired by a president who is elected for a 2.5-year term.
➔ The Council of the European Union , located in Brussels and Luxembourg. It defines and
implements EU foreign and security policy on the basis of guidelines set by the European
Council.
➔ The European Commission, located in Brussels, Luxembourg and it has other
representation across the EU. It is part of the executive of the Eu and it operates as a
cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission headed by a President.
➔ The Court of Justice which is based in Luxembourg.
➔ The European Central Bank in Frankfurt (Germany).
➔ The European Court of Auditors which is located in luxembourg. Its main task is to check
if the budget of the European Union has been implemented correctly and that Eu has
been spent legally and with sound management.
2- Who presides over them at the moment?

Proceeding in order, The European Parliament is presided over by the Maltese Roberta Metsola,
the European Council by the Belgian Charles Michel, The Council of the European Union by
Alexander de Croo and the European Commission by the German Ursula von der Leyen.
Moreover, the Court of Justice is presided over by Koen Lenaerts.
Finally, the European Central Bank is held by the French Christine Lagarde and the European
Court of Auditors by the Irish Tony Murphy.
3- How many seats does Italy have in the EU Parliament?

Italy has 73 seats in the EU Parliament.
4- When are the next elections?

The next elections will take place from Thursday 6 June 2024 to Sunday 9 June 2024 and each
EU country picks an election day.
5- What is the European Council?

The European Council is the place where the heads of the government of the Eu meet in order to
define the general political direction and priorities of the European Union. The President of the
Council is elected for a 2.5-year term.
6- What is the European Commission?

The European Commission is the institution of the European Union that develops laws for
member states and enforces them.
The body’s primary tasks, however, include administration and implementation of EU and
community policies and legislation, including formulation and spending of the budget.
7- How about Europe’s justice and economy?

In the EU there is a Court of Justice (CJEU) that was founded in 1952 and is based in
Luxembourg.
It is formed by two courts: “Court of Justice” (composed of 1 judge from each EU country,
plus 11 advocates general) and the General Court (composed of 2 judges from each EU
country).
and has the role to ensure that EU laws are applied and interpreted e: the same way in
every EU country.
Task B: The main steps in building the EU
1- The main steps in building the EU

The history of the EU is not as ancient as it might seem. As a matter of fact, it all began in 1945 with
the end of the Second World War which led to the destruction of many nations and the death and the
displacement of millions of people. In addition, six million Jews had been murdered in the Holocaust.
Consequently, in order to protect those human rights which weren’t respected during the conflict, on 5
May 1949, 10 European countries created the Council of Europe, promoting democracy and the rule of
law.
A year later the French foreign minister Robert Schuman proposed the creation of a European Coal
and Steel Community which consisted in pooling energy and material resources. This proposal took
the name of “The Schuman Declaration” to which 6 countries joined: France, West Germany, Italy, The
Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
2- The Founding Fathers/Mothers of the EU: learn about an Italian one and a foreign one of your
choice, possibly a man and a woman.
One of the Founding Fathers of the EU is Altiero Spinelli, along with others, wrote the “Ventotene
Manifesto”, which advocated for the creation of a united Europe and a European constitution.
While imprisoned by the Italian fascist regime on Ventotene island, he and other political
prisoners wrote the manifesto.
Moreover, one of The Founding Mothers of the EU is Ursula Hirschmann, she was an anti-fascist
and feminist activist born into a middle-class Jewish family in Berlin. In 1932 she participated in the
youth organization of the Social Democratic Party in resistance to the advance of the Nazis.
Hirschmann became involved in the clandestine anti-fascist opposition movement in Italy, where he
was married to Eugenio Colorni, a young Italian philosopher and socialist.
3- Why do you regard his/her contribution as crucial?

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Task A: The main institutions of the EU

1- Where do they have their seats?

2- Who presides over them at the moment?

3- How many seats does Italy have in the EU Parliament?

4- When are the next elections?

5- What is the European Council?

6- What is the European Commission?

7- How about Europe’s justice and economy?

Task B: The main steps in building the EU

1- The main steps in building the EU

3- Why do you regard his/her contribution as crucial?

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