European Commission - History

History

European Union


Politics and government of
the European Union

Parliament
  • President
    • Martin Schulz
  • Largest groups;
    • Joseph Daul: EPP
    • María Badía (Interim): S&D
  • 7th session
    • MEPs (736)
      • 2009-14 term
  • Bureau
    • Vice Presidents
    • Quaestor
  • Conference
  • Legislative procedure
European Council
  • President
    • Herman Van Rompuy
  • Parties
  • List of meetings
Council
  • Presidency
    • Cyprus
  • Configurations
    • General
    • Foreign
    • Economic
      • Euro
  • Legislative procedure
  • Voting
  • Secretariat
    • Secretary-General
      • Uwe Corsepius
    • COREPER
Commission
  • Barroso Comm.
  • President
    • José M. Barroso
  • Vice Presidents
    • Catherine Ashton
    • Viviane Reding
    • Joaquín Almunia
    • Siim Kallas
    • Neelie Kroes
    • Antonio Tajani
    • Maroš Šefčovič
    • Commissioners
    • Civil Service
    • Secretary-General
    • Catherine Day
Court of Justice
  • Court of Justice
  • General Court
  • Civil Service Tribunal
  • Members
  • Rulings
Central Bank
  • Central Bank
    • President
    • ESCB
    • Euro
    • EMU
    • Eurozone
Court of Auditors
  • Court of Auditors
    • Budget
    • OLAF]
Agencies
  • Agencies
Other bodies
  • Investment Bank
  • CoR
  • EESC
  • Ombudsman
  • National parliaments
Policies and issues
  • Budget
  • Four Freedoms
    • Economic area
    • Single market
    • Area of FS&J
    • Schengen
  • Policies
    • Agricultural
    • Energy
    • Fisheries
    • Regional
  • Citizenship
    • Identity
    • Pro-Europeanism
    • Euroscepticism
  • Integration
    • Supranationalism
    • Federalism
    • U.S.E.
    • Multi-speed
    • Opt-outs
    • Enhanced co-op
    • Withdrawal
Foreign relations
  • High Representative
    • Catherine Ashton
  • Ext. Action Service
  • Foreign Policy
  • Defence Policy
  • Enlargement
Elections
  • 1979, 1984, 1989
    1994, 1999, 2004
  • 2009 (last election)
  • 2014 (next election)
  • Political parties
  • Constituencies
  • Referendums
Law
  • Acquis
    • Primacy
    • Subsidiarity
  • Treaties
  • Fundamental Rights
  • Membership

The European Commission derives from one of the five key institutions created in the supranational European Community system, following the proposal of Robert Schuman, French Foreign Minister, on 9 May 1950. Originating in 1951 as the High Authority in the European Coal and Steel Community, the Commission has undergone numerous changes in power and composition under various Presidents, involving three Communities.

Read more about this topic:  European Commission

Famous quotes containing the word history:

    History ... is, indeed, little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.
    But what experience and history teach is this—that peoples and governments have never learned anything from history, or acted on principles deduced from it.
    Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831)

    I believe my ardour for invention springs from his loins. I can’t say that the brassiere will ever take as great a place in history as the steamboat, but I did invent it.
    Caresse Crosby (1892–1970)

    While the Republic has already acquired a history world-wide, America is still unsettled and unexplored. Like the English in New Holland, we live only on the shores of a continent even yet, and hardly know where the rivers come from which float our navy.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)