2025/04/02 by Jens Blom‐Hansen, A. S. Binderkrantz, MARTIN BÃKGAARD +3 · 1 voice
Social Sciences · Business, Management and Accounting · #European Union Policy and Governance #Political Influence and Corporate Strategies #EU Law and Policy Analysis
paper · doi:10.1093/9780198907961.001.0001
Abstract Policy Preparation Inside the European Commission is a study of policy formulation in the EU. It focuses on the Commission, which is at the heart of the EU. However, over the past 15–20 years, its position has been challenged. This is due to the growing influence of the European Council, the increased powers of the European Parliament, and the introduction of European agencies. This has led some observers to believe that the Commission’s role and influence are diminishing. However, other observers argue that the Commission remains a highly significant institution. This book qualifies this debate. It argues that the key to understanding the Commission’s position is its right of initiative in the EU policy process. The book demonstrates how the Commission has turned the right of initiative into a formidable political weapon. The empirical analyses used by the authors to make this point include a long list of creative studies of how the Commission prepares its policy proposals. Some studies focus on internal coordination inside the Commission, a first challenge for the Commission to overcome because, upon closer inspection, it is a highly fragmented institution split into approximately fifty administrative units. Other studies focus on how the Commission strategically interacts with actors in its environment—the member states, the European Parliament, and interest groups—to explore and expand its political room for manoeuvre. The core result is that the Commission is a powerful and proactive player in EU politics.