What is the role of national institutions in the EU?

National institutions play a key role in EU policy making. Ministers and civil servants negotiate, amend and decide in the Council whether to accept legislative proposals submitted by the European Commission. National parliaments scrutinise the positions that their governments propose to take in EU negotiations and, under the ‘yellow card’ procedure, if one third of national parliaments in EU member states voice concerns about a Commission proposal, the Commission is compelled to reconsider. National institutions also implement and enforcement EU legislation, and jointly manage with the Commission around 80 per cent of the EU budget. National courts also monitor and enforce EU law in the member states, and can also refer questions concerning the interpretation of EU law to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

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