EU lectures block 2
Agenda setting -> European council and European Commission
Formulation -> European Commission
Adoption -> Council of the Eu and the European Parliament by co decision
2
Legitimation -> European Court of Justice
Implementation -> Member States and European Commission
Evaluation-> European Commission
1
Agenda setting
Framing the crisis and debating about solutions
. European council (EUCO)
- providing strategic, political direction to EU policy making
. European Commission (EC)
- Provides the more technical legislative agenda
Both work with a regular 5 year cycle for the main policies; linked to the
elections to the EP and the mandate of te EC
Formulation
Responding to the issue
European Commission
– Sole right of initiative on proposing new legislation
2 – Could be persuaded to act by any EU institution and/or by pressure
from member states and interest groups
1
Adoption
The final decision on the proposal
. European Parliament (EP)
- Representing the people
- Debate between political party families
- voting by either a simple or absolute majority
. Council of the Eu (Council)
- Representing the member states
- Debate between different country positions
- voting mostly by qualified majority voting (QMV)
Legitimation
Deciding if the decision is valid in the legal sense
, European Court of Justice (ECJ)
– Whether EU laws are considered valid
– By interpreting the EU treaties in a legal sense
– Often about process and institutional competence
Implementation
Putting policy into practice
. Member states
- responsible for implementing EU laws and policies
. European Commission (EC)
- Through national government administrations
- Helped by specialized EU agencies
- EC can take legal action against Member States
Evaluation
Has the policy been effective and efficient
European Commission
– Responsible for evaluating policy results by doing research and
publications
– Evaluations are often input for new or adjust policies
EU competences
– Exclusive
– Shared
– Supporting
Three Fundamental Principles
– Principle of Conferral
Can the EU act?
The EU can only act if the Treaties give it the power
Any action must have a legal basis in the Treaties
If the Treaties don’t give the EU the power, Member States keep it
– Principle of Subsidiarity
Should the EU act?
Subsidiarity means that decisions should be taken as close to the citizens
as possible
The EU acts like a “helping hand”
If a goal can be achieved by Member States alone, the EU does not act
It acts only if working together at Union level is more effective
Not relevant for exclusive competences
– Principle of Proportionality
Agenda setting -> European council and European Commission
Formulation -> European Commission
Adoption -> Council of the Eu and the European Parliament by co decision
2
Legitimation -> European Court of Justice
Implementation -> Member States and European Commission
Evaluation-> European Commission
1
Agenda setting
Framing the crisis and debating about solutions
. European council (EUCO)
- providing strategic, political direction to EU policy making
. European Commission (EC)
- Provides the more technical legislative agenda
Both work with a regular 5 year cycle for the main policies; linked to the
elections to the EP and the mandate of te EC
Formulation
Responding to the issue
European Commission
– Sole right of initiative on proposing new legislation
2 – Could be persuaded to act by any EU institution and/or by pressure
from member states and interest groups
1
Adoption
The final decision on the proposal
. European Parliament (EP)
- Representing the people
- Debate between political party families
- voting by either a simple or absolute majority
. Council of the Eu (Council)
- Representing the member states
- Debate between different country positions
- voting mostly by qualified majority voting (QMV)
Legitimation
Deciding if the decision is valid in the legal sense
, European Court of Justice (ECJ)
– Whether EU laws are considered valid
– By interpreting the EU treaties in a legal sense
– Often about process and institutional competence
Implementation
Putting policy into practice
. Member states
- responsible for implementing EU laws and policies
. European Commission (EC)
- Through national government administrations
- Helped by specialized EU agencies
- EC can take legal action against Member States
Evaluation
Has the policy been effective and efficient
European Commission
– Responsible for evaluating policy results by doing research and
publications
– Evaluations are often input for new or adjust policies
EU competences
– Exclusive
– Shared
– Supporting
Three Fundamental Principles
– Principle of Conferral
Can the EU act?
The EU can only act if the Treaties give it the power
Any action must have a legal basis in the Treaties
If the Treaties don’t give the EU the power, Member States keep it
– Principle of Subsidiarity
Should the EU act?
Subsidiarity means that decisions should be taken as close to the citizens
as possible
The EU acts like a “helping hand”
If a goal can be achieved by Member States alone, the EU does not act
It acts only if working together at Union level is more effective
Not relevant for exclusive competences
– Principle of Proportionality
