Description

The term “Commission” refers at the same time to the College of Commissioners, i.e. the heads of the Commission appointed by each Member State and approved by the European Parliament, and to the institution and its nearly 25.000 civil servants.

Commissioners and their staff

Though put forward by their national government, members of the Commission (or “Commissioners” as they are informally referred to) are supposed to act in the interest of the EU as a whole, and not be influenced by their national governments.

Directorates General

The nearly 25.000 civil servants in the Commission take care of the day-to-day running and are organised in some 40 departments known as Directorates- General (or “DGs”), and various other services (e.g. translation, publications, legal service, etc.).