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• EPP

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•  EPP’s Three Themes

  1.Policy and policy process are continuously evolving
  2.The EU is all about the single market
  3.The EU is a quasi-Federal system

•  Why is a single market a good thing?

  The internal market brings considerable benefits to member states
  The internal market is not yet complete
  How to achieve a fully integrated market has broadened over the years 

• Policy Roles of the European Commission

  
  Initiates and drafts legislation and proposals
  Mediates to solve disagreements between policy actors
  Supervises implementation (checks national law)
  Manages programmes

• Power of EC varies according to:

  
  •Regulatory policies = Strong EC (community method)
  •AFSJ or CFSP = Weaker EC (intensive transgovernmentalism)
  •Education = Weak EC (Open Method of Coordination (OMC))

• Organizational features of the EC

  
  •Supranational Institution
  •College of (28) Commissioners (consensus or simple majority)
  •Directorates General
  •Lead by Director General, Directors and Heads of Units
  •President (????) elected by European Council
  •Commissioners nominated by states, but approved by EP
  •EC President assigns portfolios

• Organizational features of the European Council

  Birth since: ToM 1992 
  
  •A gathering of heads of state and government
  •1974 became biannual event
  •2010 President elected for 2.5 year mandate
  •Nearly always unanimous decision-making
  •Meetings every six months

• What are the four functions of the European Council

   •Policy promoter (initiator): i.e. EMU and especially CFSP
  •Policy coordination (unsuccessful…)
  •Decision-maker: Treaties, IGC (big picture issues)
  •Building ties amongst EU states

• Policy roles of the Council of Ministers

   •Ongoing bargaining and negotiation amongst EU states
  •Decisions as the:
  •Legislator:
  •Asks EC for proposals
  •Decider (often with EP)
  •Executive:
  •EMU: shares role in implementing and coordinating national policies
  •OMC: council members coordinate policies such as in education
  •Policy Forum:
  •Most discussions are focused on legislation
  •Sometimes broader more open debate amongst states

• Organizational features of the Council of Ministers

  •Part collective / part member state
  •Only one Council, but multiple configurations (10)
  •General Affairs, Foreign Affairs, EcoFin, Agriculture, Environment, and Justice & Homes Affairs
  •Coreper I (deputy) and II (ambassador)
  •Prepare decisions (EU MS ambassadors & deputies)
  •Decisions prepared in committees and working groups

• Presidency in the Council of Ministers

   Presidency (chairs meetings of working groups):
  •6-month rotating; trio of three presidencies coordinating their actions
  •Latvia (Jan-Jun 2015) - es2015.lv
  •Luxembourg (Jul-Dec 2015)
  •Netherlands (Jan-Jun 2016)