The European Commission, headquartered in Belgium, was founded in 1958 and employs approximately 34,050 individuals. Functioning as a body independent of national governments, the Commission represents and upholds the interests of the European Union as a whole. Its primary activities revolve around government administration, including preparing legislation for adoption by the Council (representing member countries) and the Parliament (representing citizens). Additionally, it administers the budget and various policy programmes, such as agriculture, fisheries, and research, in cooperation with authorities in the member countries.
On September 18, 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined a plan to protect children online, proposing a ban on social media for under-13s and requiring online services to design safe children’s accounts. Concurrently, the European Commission disbursed €3.3 billion to Ukraine for defence procurement, covering drones and missiles, as part of the €90 billion Ukraine Support Loan to aid in defending against Russian aggression. Earlier on the same day, the Commission proposed new restrictions on children's access to AI chatbots and other online services under the EU KIDS Act, which includes banning features considered addictive. Under these proposals, AI companions and chatbots offered to under-18s must be turned off by default and prohibited from simulating interpersonal relationships that create emotional dependency. This followed the European Commission's implementation on September 17, 2026, of artificial intelligence for anti-competitive enforcement, allowing AI to scan publicly available documents to identify suspected anti-competitive conduct, thereby bypassing the need for whistleblowers or complainants.
Subscribe for full access to European Commision's products in full detail
Subscribe for full access to European Commision's revenue in full detail
Subscribe for full access to European Commision's products in full detail 
