Governance by Committee: The Role of Committees in European Policy Making and Policy Research Paper 00/GHA Return to Introduction STATE OF THE ART REPORT CONTRACT NUMBER: HPSE-CT-1999-00019 PROJECT NUMBER: SERD-1999-00128 TITLE: GOVERNANCE BY COMMITTEE, THE ROLE OF COMMITTEES IN EUROPEAN POLICY-MAKING AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION MAASTRICHT, MAY 2000 Table of Contents 1. General Introduction ................................................................................................................ 4 Subproject 1: The Standing Committees in the European Parliament 2.1..................Introduction ............................................................................................................... 6 2.2..................The Evolution of the European Parliament: From Consultative ............................... 6 Assembly to Co-legislator 2.2.1...............The EP as a Legislative Actor after Maastricht......................................................... 7 2.2.2...............EP and Council on an Even Footing after Amsterdam.............................................. 8 2.2.2.1. ..........The Streamlining of the Co-decision Procedure........................................................ 9 2.3..................The Role of EP Committees in the Legislative Process ............................................ 10 2.3.1...............Membership in EP Committees.................................................................................12 2.3.2...............Powers and Competences of EP Committees............................................................ 13 2.3.2.1............Case Studies on EP Committees................................................................................15 2.3.3...............Effect of the Co-decision Procedure on the Work..................................................... 16 of the EP Standing Committees 2.4..................The Role of EP Committees in Implementation........................................................ 17 2.5..................Approach, Questions and Methodology .................................................................... 19 2.5.1...............Major Research Questions......................................................................................... 19 2.5.1.1............Draft Interview and Documentary Analysis Guide ................................................... 21 2.6..................Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 22 3. Subproject 2: Committees and Working Parties in the Council 3.1..................Introduction ............................................................................................................... 26 3.2..................Existing Knowledge about the Working Groups....................................................... 26 3.2.1...............Knowledge of other EU Committees......................................................................... 27 3.2.2...............Knowledge about the Council as a Whole................................................................. 28 3.3..................What can General Approaches to EU Decision-Making lead us to........................... 28 hypothesize about Working Groups? 3.3.1...............Intergovernmentalism: Working Groups as Fora for National Delegates................. 29 3.3.2...............Neofunctionalism: Working Groups as Vectors of Transnationalism....................... 29 3.3.3...............Policy-Making or Governance: Working Groups as Arenas of ................................ 30 Interdependence 3.3.4...............Neo-Institutionalism: Working Groups as Rule-Bound Institutions ......................... 31 3.3.5...............Constructivism: Working Groups as Shapers of "European Problems".................... 31 3.4..................Our Approach, Questions and Methodology............................................................. 32 3.4.1...............A Set of Competing Hypotheses ...............................................................................32 3.4.2...............Research Methods, Case Studies and Interview Guide ............................................. 33 3.5..................Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 36 © EIPA May 2000 ii 4. Subproject 3: Policy Implementation and Comitology Committees 4.1..................Introduction ............................................................................................................... 41 4.2..................Objectives and Research Questions........................................................................... 43 4.3..................Theoretical approach to distinguish between Legislative.......................................... 44 and Implementing Powers 4.3.1...............The “EC Version” of the Principle of Separation of Powers: Art. 7 EC................... 44 Treaty 4.3.2...............The Hierarchy of Norms in EC law........................................................................... 45 (Primary Law, Basic Acts and Implementing Acts) 4.3.2.1............Legal Framework....................................................................................................... 45 4.3.2.1.1.........Basic Acts .................................................................................................................. 46 4.3.2.1.2.........Implementing Acts .................................................................................................... 46 4.3.2.2............Allocation of Law-making Powers in the Member States......................................... 47 4.3.2.3............Theoretical Considerations ........................................................................................ 47 4.3.2.3.1.........The role of Basic Acts and Implementing Acts in a Legal System........................... 47 4.3.2.3.2.........Justification for the Allocation of Law-making Powers............................................ 48 4.3.2.3.3.........Control over the Implementing Act by the Basic Act ............................................... 49 4.3.3...............The Role of the European Court of Justice................................................................ 49 4.3.3.1............The Enforcement of the Hierarchy of Norms by the European Court of ................. 49 Justice: Case C-159/96, Portugal v. Commission, [1998] ECR I-7379 as an example 4.3.3.1.1.........Introduction ............................................................................................................... 49 4.3.3.1.2.........Legal Background of the Case................................................................................... 50 4.3.3.1.3.........The Facts of the Case................................................................................................. 51 4.3.3.1.4.........The Judgment of the European Court of Justice........................................................ 51 4.3.3.1.4.1......General Principles...................................................................................................... 51 4.3.3.1.4.2......Art. 12 of Regulation 3030/93................................................................................... 52 4.3.3.1.4.3......Art. 8 of Regulation 3030/93..................................................................................... 52 4.3.3.1.4.4......Annullation of the Commission Decision ................................................................. 53 4.3.3.2............Allocation of Powers between Basic Acts and Implementing Acts .......................... 53 by the Court 4.3.3.3............Definition of “Legislative” Act by the Court ............................................................ 53 4.4..................Conclusion: Checklist................................................................................................ 54 Annex 1 .........Methodology of Subproject 3a)................................................................................. 55 Annex 2 .........Methodology of Subproject 3b)................................................................................. 57 4.5..................Bibliography .............................................................................................................. 59 © EIPA May 2000 iii 5. Subproject 4: The Committee System, Legitimacy, Citizen’s perceptions and Acceptance of the EU-system of Governance 5.1.1...............Introduction ............................................................................................................... 63 5.1.2...............The Traditional Way of Understanding Political Legitimacy ................................... 63 5.1.3...............Common Organisational Features of Democratic Regimes ...................................... 65 5.1.4...............Contemporary Democratic Governments.................................................................. 67 5.1.4.1............Power Sharing Systems ............................................................................................. 68 5.1.4.2............Different Types of Political Legitimacy.................................................................... 68 5.1.4.3............Divided Government ................................................................................................. 69 5.1.5...............The Parliament and the Executive ............................................................................. 70 5.1.5.1............Interdependency........................................................................................................