The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union and made up of 27 commissioners nominated by the Member States. It drafts proposals for new European laws, manages the day-to-day business of implementing EU policies and spending of EU funds. The Commission is appointed for a five-year term by the Council acting by qualified majority in agreement with the Member States. It is subject to a vote of appointment by the European Parliament, to which it is answerable. The Commissioners are assisted by an administration made up of Directorates-General and specialised departments whose staff are divided mainly between Brussels and Luxembourg.

The  EC  is,  needless  to  say,  a  key-stakeholder  of  the  European Research Area  as  it  is  in  charge  to implement  the  decisions  taken  by  the  European  Council  and  Parliament.  The European   Commission   designs,   in   consultation   with   other   stakeholders,   and implements the framework programmes; furthermore, it is a funder or co-funder of many of the key instruments of the ERA (Including the different programmes of the FP7).