What does the European Commission actually do?
It proposes, it enforces, it negotiates — and it cannot pass a single law on its own.
By Nina Marchetti · Filed Thursday, 23 July 2026 · Last updated 15:00 CET
What happened
The European Commission holds the near-exclusive right to propose EU legislation, enforces EU law against member states and companies, manages the EU budget and negotiates trade agreements on behalf of the Union.
Why it matters
Most complaints about "Brussels deciding" are complaints about a body that can only propose. The deciding is done by elected governments in the Council and elected MEPs in Parliament.
The Brussels angle
The right of initiative is the Commission's real power: whoever writes the first draft sets the terms of every argument that follows.
What happens next
Read next: how an EU law becomes law.
Explainer Desk Editor · EU 101 and What It Means
Nina MarchettiNina Marchetti edits the Explainer Desk, turning complicated EU announcements into plain English for readers who have never sat through a Commission briefing.
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