DOCSLIB.ORG

The European Commission

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The European Commission The European Commission What is the Commission? An executive cabinet + A bureaucracy Composition: (28 members, 41 DG´s and 36 Agencies) Tasks: legislative (agenda –setting, proposing legislation) executive (regulation, negotiation, administration) Logic of working: (College) Mainly by consensus, but absolute majority if disagreement Name Office Start Commissioner Hallstein I 1958 11 Hallstein II 1962 10 Rey I 1967 15 Malfetti I 1970 8 Mansholt I 1972 9 Ortoli I 1973 14 Jenkins I 1977 13 Thorn I 1981 17 Delors I 1985 18 Delors II 1989 17 Delors III 1993 15 Santer I 1995 18 Prodi I 1999 33 Barroso I 2004 33 Barroso II 2010 27 Juncker 2014 28 Evolution Hallstein Commission 62-67 Delors Commission 85- 89 Juncker Commission 2014-19 European Commission Executive power Political Administrative Agenda-setting Policy implementation Tasks Policy initiative Policy application Policy decision Distribution of public funds External representation Policy supervision Main Functions of the Commission Engine and voice of the EU European regulator European Civil Service European level mediator External representative of the Union The Role of European Commission Role of the Commission Drafting legislation: The Commission is responsible for initiating legislative proposals. It is the only institution with the right to draft legislation. Administration of policies: The Commission manages (some) of the policies of the EU and budget of the EU. Guardian of the Treaties: The Commission supervises the application and of laws (carried out by and within the Member States by governments and other actors). Represenation of the EU in exterior trade. aThe Commision negotiates commerical agreements in the name of the EU with third countries, such as USA or China as well as the WTO. Regulations Directivas Decisiones Recomendaciones Opiniones Proceso de funcionamiento de la Comisión en la elaboración de leyes Proposal for new law drafted by staff in relevant DG Review by all other interested DGs and Legal Service Reviewed at meeting of chefs de cabinet Reviewed at meeting of College of Commissioners Sent to Council of Ministers and EP for decision Implemented by MSs under guidance of European Commission Power 2: Administrative .Manages EU policies & allocates EU funding •Sets EU spending priorities, together with the Council and Parliament. •Draws up annual budgets for approval by the Parliament and Council. •Supervises how the money is spent, under scrutiny by the Court of Auditors 3) Guardian of the Treaties . •Together with the Court of Justice, ensures that EU law is properly applied in all the member countries. 4: Represents the EU on the international stage . •Speaks on behalf of all EU countries in international bodies, in particular in areas of trade policy and humanitarian aid. •Negotiates international agreements for the EU. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION Executive power Political Administrative Agenda-setting Policy implementation Tasks Policy initiative Policy application Policy decision Distribution of public funds External representation Policy supervision President College of Commissioners Committees Directorate Generals General Secretariat Partisan Composition of the Commision Non-Partisan 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 La Evolución de la Comisión Europea The Main Actors (Commission) The President The College Committees Directorates General (DGs) General Secretary Analyzing The European Commission Role performed by the members of the Commission RATIONALIST CONSTRUCTIVIST Inter-governmental logic Supra-national logic Role of a party Role of country Role of Role of the country Commission Why Delegate? • To reduce workload and enhance efficiency in decision-making • To overcome information asymmetries and rely on experts (‘transaction costs’) • To solve problems of commitment (tying hands, achieve credibility, limit collective action problems) • To avoid taking blame for unpopular policies • To produce policy stability and avoid ‘policy cycling’ Problems of Delegation • Bureaucrats’ objectives • Policy, budget, bureau (work-related activities), leisure (as opposite to effort) • Bureaucratic drift • ‘Capture’ • Iron triangles: interest groups-politicians-bureaucrats • Unintended consequences Control Mechanism • Appointment • Budget • Procedural constraints • Sanctions • “Police Patrol” • “Fire Alarms” • In sum, delegating powers is the result of a trade-off between (the likelihood) of benefits and (the risks of) costs, given the control mechanisms available Executive discretion in the Commission Summary . •Delegation as a result of demand for efficiency, specialization, entrepreneurship and independence •Supply of delegation limited by risk of agency drift, capture and unexpected consequences •Trade-off: effectiveness, control, credibility and legitimacy .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Power of Initiative of the European Commission: a Progressive Erosion?
    The Power of Initiative of the European Commission: A Progressive Erosion? Paolo PONZANO, Costanza HERMANIN and Daniela CORONA Preface by António Vitorino Studies & 89 Research Study & The Power of Initiative 89 of the European Commission: Research A Progressive Erosion? PAOLO PONZANO, COSTANZA HERMANIN AND DANIELA CORONA Preface by António Vitorino Paolo PONZANO is a senior fellow at the European University Institute and a special adviser of the European Commission. Former collaborator of Altiero Spinelli at the Institute for International Affairs in Rome, he has worked for the European Commission from 1971 to 2009. He was formerly Director for Relations with the Council of ministers, subsequently for Institutional Matters and Better Regulation. He was also Alternate Member of the European Convention in 2002/2003. He published several articles and chapters on the EU institutions. He teaches European Governance and Decision-Making at the University of Florence and at the European College of Parma as well as European Law at the University of Rome. Costanza HERMANIN is a researcher in the department of social and political science of the European University Institute, where she is about to complete her PhD. Her research interests comprise EU social and immigration policy, EU institutional affairs, and human rights and immigration policy in Italy. She has been visiting fellow at several places (WZB, CERI, Columbia, Berkeley). She is the co-editor of a forthcoming book on “Fighting Race Discrimination in Europe” (Routledge, 2012). She has been publishing on Italian and English speaking journals. Daniela CORONA is currently research collaborator at the Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute in Florence where she completed her PhD.
    [Show full text]
  • Staff Regulations of the European Union
    2011/0455 (COD) Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending the Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 336 thereof, Having regard to the Protocol on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Union, and in particular Article 12 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, submitted following consultation with the Staff Regulations Committee, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national Parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the Court of Justice, Having regard to the opinion of the Court of Auditors, Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, Whereas: (1) The European Union, and its more than 50 institutions and agencies, should continue to be equipped with a high-quality European public administration, so as to enable it to achieve its objectives, implement its policies and activities and perform its tasks to the highest possible standard in accordance with the Treaties to meet the challenges, both internal and external, that it will face in the future and to serve the citizens of the Union. (2) Consequently, it is necessary to ensure a framework for attracting, recruiting and maintaining highly qualified and multilingual staff, drawn on the widest possible geographical basis from among citizens of the Member States, and with due regard to gender balance, who are independent and adhere to the highest professional standards, and to enable such staff to carry out their duties as effectively and efficiently as possible.
    [Show full text]
  • European Union Civil Service Law 23/11/2017
    6th Annual Conference European Union Civil Service Law Brussels, 23-24 November 2017 European Institute of Public Administration European Centre for Judges and Lawyers Erasmus+ www.eipa.eu For five years, EIPA’s European Centre for Judges and Lawyers (ECJL) in Luxembourg has hosted an annual conference on ‘European Union Civil Service Law’. These conferences have been very well received and prompted much enthusiasm from: Judges from the Court of Justice of the EU; Legal representatives of European institutions and agencies; University professors; Lawyers specialised in this field. In light of this, EIPA will organise a sixth annual conference. This will be an opportunity for you to explore recent developments, and in particular, those related to the reform of the EU’s Court of Justice and the transfer of competence of civil service law to the General Court. What you gain Firstly, you will become informed about recent developments in the case law of the General Court. You will look in more detail at specific issues regarding civil service litigation in the EU, including those issues that are currently on the agenda. Secondly, we will provide scope for a debate and a critical assessment of this case law among the key actors concerned, namely judges, lawyers and staff of the institutions. Who will benefit most? • Civil servants and officials of EU institutions and agencies who are responsible for issues relating to civil service law. • Members of trade unions and professional organisations in the EU. • Lawyers specialised in civil service litigation in the EU. • National experts of public administration. • Officials of international, non-EU organisations who are responsible for staff matters.
    [Show full text]
  • Directory of the European Commission
    Directory of the European Commission 16 JUNE 1994 Directory of the European Commission 16 JUNE 1994 Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication The information in the Directory was correct at the time of going to press but is liable to change Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1994 ISBN 92-826-8491-1 Reproduction is authorized, except for commercial purposes, provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Belgium Contents 5 The Commission Special responsibilities of the Members of the Commission 7 11 Secretarial-General of the Commission 17 — Forward Studies Unit 19 Inspectorate-General 21 Legal Service 23 Spokesman's Service 25 Joint Interpreting and Conference Service 27 Statistical Office 31 Translation Service 37 Informatics Directorate 39 Security Office Directorates-General 41 DG I — External Economic Relations 49 DG IA — External Political Relations 53 TFE — Enlargement Task Force 55 DG H — Economic and Financial Affairs 59 DG III — Industry 65 DG IV — Competition 69 DG V — Employment. Industrial Relations and Social Affairs 73 DG VI — Agriculture 79 — Veterinary and Phytosanitary Office 81 DG VII — Transport 83 DG VIII — Development 3 DG IX — Personnel and Administration 89 DG X — Audiovisual .Media, Information, Communication and Culture 93 DG XI — Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection 97 DG XII — Science, Research and Development 99 — Joint Research Centre 105 DG XIII — Telecommunications, Information Market and Exploitation of Research 111 DGXIV —Fisheries 117 DG XV —Internal Market and Financial Services 121 DG XVI — Regional Policies 125 DG XVII — Energy 129 DG XVIII—Credit and Investments 133 DGXIX —Budgets 135 DG XX — Financial Control 137 DG XXI — Customs and Indirect Taxation 141 DG XXIII— Enterprise Policy, Distributive Trades, Tourism and Cooperatives 143 Consumer Policy Service 145 Task Force for Human Resources.
    [Show full text]
  • The Eu and Public Opinions: a Love-Hate Relationship?
    THE EU AND PUBLIC OPINIONS: A LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP? Salvatore Signorelli Foreword by Julian Priestley NOVEMBER 2012 STUDIES & REPORTS 93 The EU and public opinions: A love-hate relationship? TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 INTRODUCTION 9 1. European public opinion analysis instruments 12 1.1. The origins of the Eurobarometer: a brief overview 12 1.2. Deciphering European public opinion: quantitative polls 19 1.2.1. Standard EBS: regular public opinion monitoring 20 1.2.2. Special EB: in-depth thematic surveys 26 1.2.3. EB Flash: rapid thematic surveys 29 1.2.4. Sociological criticism of quantitative opinion polls 31 1.3. Qualitative Studies: analysis of reactions, feelings and motivations 33 1.4. Deliberative Polling® 37 1.5. National polls of the 27 Member States 43 2. The work of public opinion analysis within the institutions 44 2.1. The change in political context and in objectives for the EU: the rise of public opinion 44 The EU and public opinions: A love-hate relationship? 2.2. The European Commission: “driving force” of public opinion analysis in the EU 47 2.2.1. A role of interface in drafting Eurobarometer surveys 50 2.2.2. The “national” level of public opinion analysis at the Commission 52 2.3. The work of public opinion analysis at the European Parliament 54 2.3.1. An information tool 56 2.3.2. The “national” level of public opinion analysis at the European Parliament 57 2.4. The role of the other institutions 58 2.4.1. European Council 58 2.4.2.
    [Show full text]
  • The Euro Needs a Euro Treasury
    Working Paper No. 780 Lost at Sea: The Euro Needs a Euro Treasury by Jörg Bibow Levy Economics Institute of Bard College November 2013 The Levy Economics Institute Working Paper Collection presents research in progress by Levy Institute scholars and conference participants. The purpose of the series is to disseminate ideas to and elicit comments from academics and professionals. Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, founded in 1986, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, independently funded research organization devoted to public service. Through scholarship and economic research it generates viable, effective public policy responses to important economic problems that profoundly affect the quality of life in the United States and abroad. Levy Economics Institute P.O. Box 5000 Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000 http://www.levyinstitute.org Copyright © Levy Economics Institute 2013 All rights reserved ISSN 1547-366X ABSTRACT The euro crisis remains unresolved even as financial markets may seem calm for now. The current euro regime is inherently flawed, and recent reforms have failed to turn this dysfunctional regime into a viable one. Our investigation is informed by the “cartalist” critique of traditional “optimum currency area” theory (Goodhart 1998). Various proposals to rescue the euro are assessed and found lacking. A “Euro Treasury” scheme operating on a strict rule and specifically designed not to be a transfer union is proposed here as a condition sine qua non for healing the euro’s potentially fatal birth defects. The Euro Treasury proposed here is the missing element that will mend the current fiscal regime, which is unworkable without it. The proposed scheme would end the currently unfolding euro calamity by switching policy from a public thrift campaign that can only impoverish Europe to a public investment campaign designed to secure Europe’s future.
    [Show full text]
  • Eu Whoiswho Official Directory of the European Union
    EUROPEAN UNION EU WHOISWHO OFFICIAL DIRECTORY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION EUROPEAN COMMISSION 16/09/2021 Managed by the Publications Office © European Union, 2021 FOP engine ver:20180220 - Content: - merge of files"Commission_root.xml", "The_College.XML1.5.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_CABINETS.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_SG.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/ CRF_COM_SJ.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_COMMU.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_IDEA.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_BUDG.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/ CRF_COM_HR.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_DIGIT.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_IAS.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_OLAF.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/ CRF_COM_ECFIN.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_GROW.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_DEFIS.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_COMP.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/ CRF_COM_EMPL.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_AGRI.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_MOVE.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_ENER.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/ CRF_COM_ENV.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_CLIMA.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_RTD.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/CRF_COM_CNECT.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml", "temp/ CRF_COM_JRC.RNS.FX.TRAD.DPO.dated.XML1.5.ANN.xml",
    [Show full text]
  • Policy Brief
    Policy brief The United Kingdom and the (Digital) æ Single Market Issue 2016/9• April 2016 by Harri Kalimo, Trisha Meyer, Jamal Shahin, Fausta Todhe Introduction By bundling the manifold policy expertise of the researchers of the Institute for European Studies The European Single Market has been the main thrust of the United Kingdom’s (IES), this paper forms part of a series of analyses involvement in the European Union. The European Free Trade Area (EFTA) was investigating the potential implications of a ‘Brexit’ created in 1960, driven by a British desire to offer European countries the economic scenario for different EU policies. All papers ask benefits of a larger internal market in a situation where the full accession of EFTA the same three questions: 1) What is the state countries to the European Economic Community was, for various reasons, not of the EU policy in focus? 2) What is the UK’s possible (Milward 2005: 3). For the UK, membership in the (now) EU in 1973 thus role/interest in this policy field? 3) What are the represented a deliberate choice to participate in the European integration project potential implications of a ‘Brexit’ scenario at the beyond its economic core. policy-level? Key events in EU-UK relations with a focus on the Single Market (based on Dinan 2014; Hartley 2014) After Claire Dupont and Florian Trauner introduce 1960 Austria, Denmark, Finland (1961), Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Swit- the project, Richard Lewis sets the historical and zerland and the United Kingdom establish the European Free Trade cultural context and explains how the UK and the Association (EFTA).
    [Show full text]
  • The Left and the European Union
    Austerity Union and the Transformation of Europe Bojan Bugaric Abstract: The EU »economic constitution« systematically biases EU policy making in a neo- liberal direction. Historically speaking, this was not the intent of the EU founding fathers. The original constitutional settlement of embedded liberalism was significantly redefined in the next major revisions of the Rome Treaty. The neo-liberal foundations of the single market and the EMU have imposed real and significant institutional constraints for progressive policy making. However, the role of the European Left was crucial in this alteration of the EU constitutional order. Despite the strong neoliberal consensus among the key political actors of that time, such a change would have not be possible without the Left' retreat towards »centre- leftism«, particularly in France. Furthermore, while constrains of the EU economic constitution are significant, we should avoid the »naturalization« of the EU project. The European Left, while in power, failed to leave its distinct imprint on the EU economic constitution. The Left policy agenda remained firmly embedded in the logic of the nation state. The euro crisis pushed these developments even further and, for the first time in the EU history, explicitly challenged the constitutional balance of the EU legal order. The new Austerity Union, a project in the making, profoundly altered this constitutional balance. I. Introduction At the moment, only five out of twenty seven member states of the European Union (EU) are governed by left parties or left dominated coalitions.1 On the EU level, the Left fares even worse. The last European elections in 2009 brought the Left the worst defeat since the first elections to the European parliament in 1979.
    [Show full text]
  • Jacques Delors Architect of the Modern European Union
    BRIEFING European Union History Series Jacques Delors Architect of the modern European Union SUMMARY The consensus among most historians of European integration and political scientists is that Jacques Delors, who served as President of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995, was the most successful holder of that post to date. His agenda and accomplishments include the EU single market, the Single European Act, Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the rapid integration of the former German Democratic Republic into the European Community. His combination of coherent agenda-setting and strong negotiating skills, acquired through long experience of trade union bargaining and years of ministerial responsibilities in turbulent times, puts Delors above other Commission Presidents, whether in terms of institutional innovation or the development of new Europe-wide policies. He also showed himself able to react swiftly to external events, notably the collapse of the Soviet bloc, whilst building Europe’s credibility on the international stage. This Briefing records Delors' life across its crucial stages, from trade union activist, senior civil servant, French politician, and Member of the European Parliament, to the helm of the European Commission, where he left the greatest individual impact on European integration history to date. It also traces the most important ideas that guided Delors in his national and European roles. Finally, it describes the political events and key actors which made Delors' decade in office a time of important decisions and progress in the process of European integration and, in doing so, it draws on recent academic literature and on speeches Delors gave in the European Parliament.
    [Show full text]
  • Chronicle of an Election Foretold: the Longer-Term Trends Leading to the ‘Spitzenkandidaten’ Procedure and the Election of Jean-Claude Juncker As European
    LSE ‘Europe in Question’ Discussion Paper Series Chronicle of an Election Foretold: The Longer-Term Trends leading to the ‘Spitzenkandidaten’ procedure and the Election of Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission President Martin Westlake LEQS Paper No. 102/2016 January 2016 LEQS is generously supported by the LSE Annual Fund Editorial Board Dr Joan Costa-i-Font Dr Vassilis Monastiriotis Dr Jonathan White Dr Katjana Gattermann Dr Sonja Avlijas All views expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the editors or the LSE. © Martin Westlake Chronicle of an Election Foretold: The Longer-Term Trends leading to the ‘Spitzenkandidaten’ procedure and the Election of Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission President Martin Westlake* Abstract By focusing on the near-term campaign in the 2014 European elections analysts have tended to over-look a series of longer-term trends that were jointly and inexorably leading to the Spitzenkandidaten (lead candidate) process and to some at least of the subsequent structural reforms to the Commission. The paper argues that those longer-term trends continue and that the (s)election of Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European Commission and the structural reforms he subsequently introduced are better understood as steps in ongoing processes rather than fresh departures. Thus, what will happen in 2019 will have been conditioned not only by 2014, but also by previous elections and previous developments, as considered in this paper. Keywords: European Commission Presidency, Jean-Claude Juncker, Spitzenkandidaten, European Parliament, Longer-Term Trends * Visiting Professor, College of Europe, Bruges Senior Visiting Fellow, European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE Email: [email protected] The Longer-Term Trends leading to the ‘Spitzenkandidaten’ procedure Table of Contents 1.
    [Show full text]
  • European Commission a Testimony by the President
    European Commission 2004 – 2014 A Testimony by the President with selected documents JOSÉ MANUEL DURÃO BARROSO European Commission 2004 – 2014 A Testimony by the President with selected documents JOSÉ MANUEL DURÃO BARROSO Content European Commission 2004 – 2014: A testimony by the President ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11 On Europe - Considerations on the present and the future of the European Union Humboldt University of Berlin, 8 May 2014 ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 63 Speeches Building a Partnership for Europe: Prosperity, Solidarity, Security 3 Vote of Approval, European Parliament Plenary Session Strasbourg, 21 July 2004 �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 91 Messina, 50 years on: turning the crisis to our advantage 50th Anniversary of the Messina Conference Messina, 4 June 2005 ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 99 France and Europe: a shared destiny French National Assembly Paris, 24 January 2006 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������105 Seeing Through The Hallucinations Third Hugo Young Memorial Lecture London, 16 October 2006 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������109 A stronger Europe for a successful globalisation
    [Show full text]