Commission Flashcards
Political roles (4)
-ideological political
-policy political
-organizationally political
-administratively political
Commission- responsibilities (6)
-initiation and formulation of policies
-monitoring of policy implementation
-agenda-setting
-Guardian of the treaties (infringement procedures)
- external representation (trade)- geopolitical actor
- interinstitutional/ MS mediator
executive wing
College of Commissioners and cabinets
administrative wing
-Directorate Generals (DGs)
-service departments
College of Commissioners
27 Commissioners (1 for each MS)<– President+ 7 Vice-Presidents (including HR), appointed every 5 years; each is assigned a portfolio.
Decisions are taken via consensus (bargaining and negotiating to reach a compromise), in case of voting- simple majority
cabinets
-one for each commissioner
- functions: push Commissioner’s ideas; edit/filter policy proposals coming from the DGs; ensure cohesiveness and coherence between Commissioners (weekly meeting between chefs de cabinet); point of access of the Commission for external actors.
administration (Commission)
-provides policy proposals
- monitor policy implementation on the national level
presidentalization (Commission)
President assumes a political leadership role over the other Commissioners (primus super pares)
-power over College composition/ allocation of portfolios [Amsterdam]
- has a Secretariat-General at his/her disposal
College hierarchization
Juncker Commission, Vice-Presidents coordinating Commissioners’ work, and so on
decisional-power of the Commission(3 theories)
- intergovernmentalism: Commission as agent of the MSs
-neo-functionalism/institutionalism: Commission has political power separate from the MSs (especially in economic governance and security/defence policies)
-principal-agent model: specific opportunities when the Commission can act independently (from the MS)
