Developments in recent years have been rich in opportunities, underlining the importance of cooperation in global health to address health challenges. The strategic partnership between WHO and the European Commission has consolidated and expanded over the past years with the commitment to promoting and improving human health in the European Region as well as globally. This cooperation between both organizations respects the strengths of and complementarities with the shared aim of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by making the greatest possible contribution to improving health outcomes.
Moreover, the financial and administrative framework agreement FAFA between the European Commission and the United Nations was signed in and further updated in The exchange of letters of 14 December sets out the framework for cooperation between the European Commission and WHO, as well as its objectives, priorities, areas of collaboration, procedures, activities and practical arrangements for implementation.
WHO—European Commission cooperation was further developed in the Moscow Declaration of September , which seeks to strengthen policy dialogue and technical cooperation on public health. A more concrete plan outlining projects and steps of cooperation will be developed in the coming months. In the event of non-compliance, the Commission can coerce a member state to comply by starting a legal procedure at the European Court of Justice. Besides this, the Commission represents the EU in negotiations in international organisations such as the World Trade Organisation concerning the Union's trade relations with countries outside the EU.
It holds this function so that it can monitor for any unauthorized state support by foreign governments to European companies, which would jeopardize Europe's competitive position. Finally, the Commission is responsible for managing the European budget of approximately billion euros yearly.
The current von der Leyen Commission i assumed office on the 2nd of December The separation of powers between the three most important institutions of the European Union can be summarized in broad strokes: the European Commission proposes new legislation and regulation, the European Parliament debates these and can propose amendments, following which Parliament and the Council of the European Union i jointly finalise a decision.
The European Court of Justice watches over the integrity of these decisions. Its rulings hold priority over the legislation of member states. The European Commission is the sole holder of the right of legislative initiative within the EU. It formulates draft legislation for various areas of EU policy, but mainly in the internal market, economic coordination, justice and internal affairs, transport, industry, social and employment policy, agriculture, environment, energy, regional development, trade relations and development aid.
The Commission is tasked with monitoring whether EU-legislation is properly implemented in the member states. It may refer infractions or negligence to the European Court. The most prominent area of EU policy enforced by the Commission is competition in the internal market.
The Commission determines whether major corporate fusions and take-overs contribute to a dangerous extent to monopoly-formation, and monitors whether member states offer unjustified state aid to industry. The European Commission acts as the representative of the EU on the world stage, in conferences of groups such as the World Trade Organisation.
Furthermore, the Commission handles the day-to-day runnings of many programs in the areas of education such as Erasmus i , Comenius i and Da Vinci , development aid and humanitarian aid. The Commission is responsible for administration of the communal EU-budget, under oversight of the European Court of Auditors i. The European Commission consists of 27 members, together referred to as the College of Commissioners, and a sizeable administrative office.
Each Commissioner heads one or more directorates-general i , which in turn cover one or more areas of policy. A position created in the Juncker Commission, the Vice Presidents i have a special role. Each heads a project team, covering a cluster of closely connected policy areas, which can block proposals by other Commissioners.
The Commission generally meets once a week in Brussels, on Wednesday. At these meetings, each Commissioner explains the items on the agenda related to their area of policy. Decisions are made by the 27 members of the Commission by unqualified majority vote. Once a decision has been made, it is integral to Commission policy.
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