The European Commission acts as the executive branch of the European Union. It is composed of one commissioner from each member state, and it proposes and enforces legislation. The Commission represents the EU internationally in areas like trade negotiations. It is headquartered in Brussels with offices in Luxembourg and representations across the EU. The European Parliament represents EU citizens and is directly elected every five years. Along with the Council, it approves EU legislation and budgets. The Council represents EU governments and is composed of ministers from each member state. It defines EU foreign policy, security policy, and coordinates economic policies.