Institutional power file · EU institutions
European Union
How the Commission, Parliament, Council and member governments divide authority across legislation, sanctions and implementation.
Power mechanisms
Where authority actually moves
How the institution works
Evergreen explainersHow Power Works
What Power Does the European Commission Actually Have?
The Commission can propose legislation, enforce EU law and manage major funding, but most legislation still requires agreement from Parliament and member-state governments.
How Power WorksHow an EU Proposal Actually Becomes Law
Most EU laws emerge from a three-institution bargaining process: the Commission proposes, while Parliament and the Council negotiate and adopt.
How Power WorksHow EU Sanctions Are Actually Approved
European sanctions can look like a Brussels decision, but member-state unanimity is the central source of both their legitimacy and their vulnerability to vetoes.
How Power WorksHow EU Enlargement Actually Works
Joining the European Union requires unanimous political decisions at key stages, extensive legal alignment and eventual ratification of an accession treaty by every member state and the candidate.
Latest analysis
10 related pieces2026-10-16
Analysis
Analysis
The EU's 2027 Budget Dispute Shows How Parliament and Council Contest Spending Power
Parliament's budget committee wants to reverse Council cuts and increase spending above the Commission proposal, testing the balance between EU institutions.
2026-09-23
News
News
EU Ministers Push 2028-2034 Budget Talks Forward Ahead of October Leaders' Summit
European affairs ministers discussed spending priorities and revenue for the EU's next long-term budget while preparing an October European Council agenda spanning Ukraine, defence, migration and enlargement.
2026-09-16
Analysis
Analysis
Europe's Canada Proposal Is a Bigger Strategic Idea Than a Trade Deal
Ursula von der Leyen's call to open the door to Canadian associate membership points to a Europe trying to build political capacity beyond its own borders.
2026-07-08
Analysis
Analysis
The US-EU Trade Reset Does Not End Europe's Strategic-Autonomy Debate
Tariff reductions can calm transatlantic commerce while leaving the underlying political question intact: how dependent should Europe remain on US power and markets?
2026-06-04
Analysis
Analysis
Europe's Tech Sovereignty Push Is Really a Fight Over the Right to Switch Things Off
New EU cloud and chip proposals frame dependence on foreign technology as a question of political control over critical infrastructure, not simply industrial competitiveness.
2026-10-21
Analysis
Analysis
Romania Ends Six-Month Government Deadlock, but Its Majority Is Conditional
Luca Niculescu won a parliamentary confidence vote with 280 supporters. A minority cabinet still faces fiscal and institutional constraints.
2026-09-28
Analysis
Analysis
The EU Is Expanding Russia Sanctions From War Conduct to Political Repression
New listings over the exclusion of Yabloko from Russia's Duma election show Brussels using sanctions to contest the domestic institutional environment as well as Moscow's external aggression.
2026-09-26
Analysis
Analysis
Belarus Is Exposing a Transatlantic Split Over What Sanctions Are For
Washington is trading selective relief for prisoner releases and pursuing Belarusian potash. Lithuania and the EU still define sanctions around repression, support for Russia and hybrid pressure. Both approaches can claim results, but they pursue different end states.
2026-09-23
News
News
EU Extends Ukraine Territorial-Integrity Sanctions Listings for Three Years
The Council prolonged restrictive measures against listed individuals and entities accused of undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity until September 2029.
2026-09-19
Analysis
Analysis
Europe's War Preparedness Debate Is Moving Beyond Defence Budgets
From stockpiles and civil resilience to drones, logistics and uncertainty over US force posture, European preparedness increasingly means planning for how societies as well as armies would withstand a prolonged crisis.
Primary record
Start with the institution itself
These links provide the formal rules or institutional description underlying this power file. State & Power analysis is kept separate from the primary record.