EU Policy Processes
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- what are the four steps of the policy process?
- Preparation; decision; execution and implementation; controlling
- Who starts off the Preparation phase?
- Commission by developing policy proposal
- Who is involved with Preparation of policy?
- Commissioners; cabinets of Commissioners; relative Directorate-generals, specific intersts/lobbies (national experts, reps of civil society) and sometimes EP
- What do working groups do in preparation phase?
- they are flexible, sector specific, deal with problems, alternatives and solutions
- does including more people in the preparation stage slow down the process?
- No, because more frequent meetings and longer meetings
- What are the four steps of decision-making?
- formal initiative; deliberation; negotiation; decision
- Who are the actors in decision-making procedures?
- Commission, Council, CoR, EESC, EP (not with culture or trade policy)
- What is the EP's role in decision-making?
- discuss proposal in fraction (parliamentary groups, committees and delegation;
- How does the EP vote in the decision-making process?
- decide by simple majority unless wants to amend, then absolute majority
- Who determines which proposal is given to which committee?
- Conference of Presidents assign a repotoire to the proposals;
- What does a committee in the EP do? How do they vote?
- It comes up with a proposal, which is voted on in the committee by simple majority, then brings to plenary vote which defines position of EP
- What does the Council do with a proposal?
- pass it down to the COREPER I and II (ambassadors that represent member state) who pass it down to the preparatory committees
- What does the COREPER stand for? What does it do?
- Permanent Representatives Committee; takes List 1 from prep committees and pass them automatically, take List 2 and votes of them; those which cannot aggre on go with List B, others go with List A sent to Ministers
- What does the Council vote on? HOw do they vote?
- Vote on B list; sometimes use simple majority (was standard procedure) but usually use QMV. seldom unanimity
- Describe QMV of the Council
- need 72% in favor (232/321) to pass, with a majority of member states involved (13); member state may ask if it covers 62% of the population
- what are the unanimity requirements for the Council?
- ammendment to commission proposals; accession of new member states; association treaties with other countries
- How does the behavior of states change under the new QMV?
- forced to find coaltion partners; more flexible voting;
- What is the result of the Execution and Implementation phase?
- come out with a legal act: Decision, Regulation, Directive, Opinion/Recommendation
- What is Art 202?
- for operationalization of decisions council conferred powers of implementation on the Commission
- What is the conferrment of powers?
- Commission can autonomously enact directive, regulations and decisions; usually adaptation sof existing laws or technical issues
- What does the Commission create when enacting implementation? What does this consist of?
- Implementation committees; consists of commission reps, reps of member states and civil servants
- Why does the Commission have to create implmentation groups?
- because the council doesn't trust them
- What is Comitology?
- it is the group of committees created to deal with conferrment of powers; commission implementing council directive only when it can pass legislative acts without parliament
- Who does the controlling?
- ECJ and its jurisdiction; Commission also allowed to pass fines
- What is the commission's role in controlling?
- they have implementation lists telling who has implemented and how; can pass fines on member states
- When was the consultation procedure created?
- 1957 with the Treaties of Rome
- What is the consultation procedure? How popular?
- Was standard procedure until SEA, hardly used nowadays
- What is the formality of the consultation procedure?
- council gets commission proposal and send to EP; EP gives opinion and goes back to Council and Commission; COmmission gives informal opinion and Council can enact law; need consult EP but not binding
- How does the infomal consultation procedure differ from the formal consultation procedure?
- Formally the Council doesn't have to listen to the EP, informally it often does because needs support in future
- When was the cooperation procedure created?
- SEA (1987)
- Describe the cooperation procedure?
- EP reads proposal and gives opinion; this is looked at by Council, voted on by QMV; Council tries to implement, creating a"common position" sends back to EP; EP votes (simple majority if accepts, absolute majority if rejects/amends; sends to Commission; if COmmission agrees with amendments, council can pass with QMV, if not by unanimity; if the commission doesn't agree, council can accept original proposal with QMV or amends/rejects unanimously; unanimity if accept without commission or if rejected by EP
- How does the cooperation procedure change the power of the institutions?
- Gives more power to the EP, and raises stakes for Council
- When was the codecision procedure introduced?
- TEU (Maastricht treaty) 1992
- How many readings in the codecision procedure?
- three, the third consists of a conciliation committee
- How does the EP and Council have to vote if there is an agreement in the Conciliation committee?
- Council QMV, EP absolute majority
- What is the EP's role in the Assent Procedure?
- The EP must give their assent in order for proposal to pass
- What is the Assent procedure used for?
- Development funds and cohesion funds, common election procedure, specific international treaties, accession of new members, sanctions, appointment of commission president
- How many legal acts were made in 2000? Which procedure was used most?
- 262; Co-decision used MORE (main procedure)
- what is the choice of legal instrucment limited by?
- subsidarity (necessary to act?) and proportionality (which is best for achieving objectives?)
- What instruments are used in the second and third pillar?
- general guidelines, common positions, joint actions and conclusion of international agreements
- what are common positions? how does council vote on them? what are their requirments?
- Common formulation of political convictions; require unanimity; member states must make sure nat'l policies conform
- What in involved in a joint action?
- specifies objectives, scope and means made available to Union, conditions for implementation and duration
- What does a conclusion of international agreement do? How is it voted on?
- Authorizes Presidency to enter into a negotiation; concluded by Council acting unanimously
- What were the original sources of revenue?
- (1970) agricultural levies; customs duties levied on trade with non-member countries; revenue from value added tax collected in member states (limited 1%)
- What did Delors Package introduce?
- overall ceiling of 1.2% GNP; fourth source of community financing established based on total GNP; fourth source only used when requirements cannot be covered
- What changed in Delors Package II?
- Change to structure of Union's own resources, reducing role of VAT and increasing GNP; mandate given to Commission to investigate and report on possible intro of fifth source
- Which article specifies the budgetary procedure?
- Art 2.7.2
- Can the EP amend the budget proposed by Council? binding?
- Only in non-compulsory area, sent back to council, not bding
- What is the responsibility of the EP in the second reading of the Budgetary procedure?
- The EP can discharge the commission or not, and can reject the entire budget and ask for a new one
- What is the difference between compulsory and non-compulsory expenditure?
- Compulsory is everything that comes directly from treaty law (70-75% of budget); non-compulsory is everything else, science, research (25-30% of budget)
- What is commission's role in budgetary procedure?
- reduce conflicts, administratory/secretary; budet draft based on how much was spent last year; distributes money
- What is the Parliament's role in budgetary procedure?
- helps decides how to spend the money, discharges commission or not; control of ENTIRE budget
- what is the COuncil's rold in budgetary procedure?
- decides how much is spent, interested in net payers and receivers, tries to reconcile agriculture and budget conflicts
- What are the areas of conflict in the budgetary procedure?
- Definition/classification of compulsory and non-compulsory; Maximum rate of increase (how surplus money be spent in forecasted budget?)
- What changes in the Constitutional treaty?
- No distinction between compulsory and non-compulsory so EP has more to say