Task 3. What governs Europe?

A. Listen to the description of the role and function of four different European institutions. There will be a pause between each description. Decide which of the European institutions is being described in each case.

B. Now listen to the tape again and fill in the blanks in the following text.

The European Council is the most powerful (1)................institution in the European

Union. In December 1974 the common practice of heads of state and their leading ministers meeting to discuss West European affairs was institutionalized. This mee­ting, called the Conseil Europeen by President Giscard d'Estaing, was henceforth to

take place (2)................times a (3)................and was organized on the model of the

French Council of Ministers working under the chairmanship of a (4).................The

latter's term of (5)................is (6)................. .Legislation must be voted either (7) ................ or by a {8) ................ majority. The second form of voting is intended to prevent individual (9)................from blocking legislation, especially on issues such as (10)................. .

The European Commission is the (11)................of the Community. It has at its head

(12)................commissioners that are appointed by member governments for terms

that may be (13) ................ . Commissioners must not only be competent but also

(14)................ - that is to say that they are not merely the delegates of the member

state that appointed them. The Commission, which employs well over (15)................

people in all, (16)................proposals for the Council of Ministers to discuss, acts as

a (17)................when there are conflicts between member states and (18)................

that the decisions of legislation are (19)................. . It also has a (20)................ role,

making sure that the terms of the (21)................are respected.

The European Parliament is a primarily (22)................ body made up of directly

(23) ................ Euro-MPs. The (24) ................ must consult the Parliament on most

main policy areas before accepting the (25)................proposals of the (26)............. .

Parliament may dismiss the Commission by a motion of (27)................passed by a

(28)................majority. It may also adopt or reject a (29)................ or amend certain

types of expenditure. Its powers were considerably increased by the Act of (30)............... .

The European Court of Justice consists of (31) ................ judges elected for a

(32)................term. A judge can only be relieved of his function by a (33)................

vote that he is (34)................to carry out his duties. The (35)................of this court

are secret, even though there are public (36)............... . The Court has extensive judi­cial power since European law takes (37).................. over the national laws of each

(38)............... . The Court may even be required to (39)................against a member state that is a (40) ………….. European law. Its other important functions are (41) ……..disputes between European Institutions and giving preliminary (42) …….. on issues for national courts. Actions may be brought to this Court by both (43) ……. Or (44) persons as well as by member states.

Date: 2015-01-02; view: 1191