The EU pillar structure

The European Union takes decisions in three separate 'domains' (policy areas), also known as the three 'pillars' of the EU.

The first pillar is the Community domain, covering most of the common policies, where decisions are taken by the Community method involving the Commission, which proposes legislation, the Parliament and the Council, which must approve them. In this pillar, the Council normally takes decisions by 'qualified majority' vote.

The second pillar is the common foreign and security policy, where decisions are taken by the Council alone i.e. by the governments of the member states.

The third pillar is police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters, where - once again - the Council takes the decisions.

In these last two pillars, the Council decision has to be unanimous: it can therefore be blocked by the veto of any one country.

If the Council so decides, it can use the 'Community bridge' to transfer certain matters from the third to the first pillar. The European Constitution merges the three pillars to ensure only one type of decision-making for all policies.