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Commission influence

3 important questions on Commission influence

Intergovernmentalists believe that national governments are the real driving forces in the European project. In the liberal intergovernmentalist version of this theoretical stance, it is accepted that the Commission has an important role to play. However, liberal intergovernmentalists claim what?

Liberal intergovernmentalists claim that the authority that the Commission exercises as an agenda-setter and overseer of implementation at the national level is merely a derived and delegated authority. According to this view, the Commission may facilitate intergovernmental cooperation, but is has no real power basis of its own, because the Commission's powers are decided upon and framed by the member states within treaty negotiations.

Intergovernmentalist thinking on the role of the Commission is countered by those whose approach might be labelled 'neo-functionalist' or 'institutionalist'. Most of these institutionalistts would argue that what?

That there is ample evidence that the Commission has displayed strong leadership and, on a number of occasions, has even had a profound effect on the outcomes of 'history-shaping' and frame-setting intergovernmental conferences (IGCs), and European Council meetings.

Institutionalists argue that treaty-based frameworks, which are the main focus of intergovernmentalists, are what?

Quite often vague and ambiguous constructions that need to be translated into practical politics through day-to-day policy-making. And when it comes to this sort of crucial follow-up work, the Commission is one of the key actors.