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 May 2, 2026, the European Parliament is set to call for faster compliance proceedings for the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and closer scrutiny of AI-driven search tools and cloud services, with MEPs expected to urge the Commission to enforce the act quickly and consistently while adapting to technological change without reopening the law’s core objectives. Earlier that day, European Union member states endorsed the European Commission’s proposal to suspend the use of inward processing for raw cane sugar imports that are refined into white sugar, a measure aimed at relieving market pressure on EU sugar producers and restoring market balance. The Commission also stated it would “keep our options open” as the EU weighs U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25 percent tariff on automobiles and auto parts from Europe, raising the prospect of a transatlantic trade war. This response followed President Trump’s announcement on May 1 that he would increase tariffs on cars and lorries from the European Union to 25 percent from the following week, claiming the bloc failed to comply with a negotiated trade agreement. Also on May 2, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen formally presented AccelerateEU, a plan designed to speed the transition to domestic clean energy.
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