European Commission: Executive Branch of the EU

We spent our first full day in Brussels visiting the European Commission. The European Commission serves as the executive branch of the European Union. It proposes legislation, implements EU policies, manages the EU budget, and oversees the administration of European Union programs. It was interesting to hear the history of the European Commission and how it has grown in scope and influence along with the growth of the EU. The EU started with just six member states after World War II but has now expanded to 27. Each 27 member states have one commissioner as part of the European Commission.

We later listened to another speaker discuss the free movement of capital, which is a fundamental freedom of the European Union. Free movement of capital allows capital to move freely across borders within the EU, and this includes investments, payments, and other financial transactions. This freedom ensures individuals and businesses can invest in and move capital to other EU member states without restrictions. Free movement of capital is beneficial because it allows cross-border investments, which contribute to economic growth and job creation. The challenge with free movement of capital are differences in national regulations. This can form barriers to the free movement of capital, and the European Commission works to reduce these barriers.

After the presentations today at the European Commission, I can see how important the European Commission is to the European Union by providing leadership and coordination among the EU member states.