The Institutions of the European Union

by Peterson, John; Shackleton, Michael

• ISBN13: 9780199279005
• ISBN10: 0199279004
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-07-06
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This new edition of The Institutions of the European Union will be the key text for any reader wishing to understand the functions, powers and compositions of EU institutions. The book has been fully updated and includes a new chapter on institutional and constitutional reform.

Author Biography

John Peterson is Chair of International Politics at the University of Edinburgh. He is editor of the Journal of Common Market Studies and "The New European Union Series" (with Helen Wallace) for Oxford University Press.
Michael Shackleton is Head of Division of the Conciliations Secretariat in the Secretariat of the European Parliament Secretariat in Brussels, Belgium. He has held a range of positions in the European Parliament. He is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Common Market Studies and has published widely on EU topics.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiv
List of Exhibits	xv
List of Figures	xvii
List of Tables	xviii
List of Abbreviations	xix
List of Contributors	xxiii
Table of Cases	xxiv
Editors' Note	xxv
The EU's Institutions: An Overview	1	(16)
Introduction	1	(3)
Why study institutions?	4	(3)
Why study the EU's institutions?	7	(5)
'Frustration without disintegration'---the persistence of the EU system	12	(2)
Conclusion	14	(3)
Institutional Change in the EU	17	(18)
Introduction	17	(1)
The four phases of institutional development	18	(7)
The foundations	18	(2)
The consolidation of the Community model	20	(2)
The 'relaunch': institutional change through task extension	22	(2)
Adjusting the institutional system	24	(1)
What would the Constitutional Treaty have changed?	25	(4)
The dynamics of institutional change	29	(3)
The weight of interests	29	(1)
The role of institutions	30	(1)
When do ideas matter?	31	(1)
Conclusion	32	(3)
Part I Providing Direction	35	(110)
The European Council	37	(23)
Introduction	38	(1)
Origins	39	(1)
Composition	40	(2)
Proceedings	42	(2)
Special meetings	44	(1)
Legal nature and characteristics	45	(3)
Functions	48	(9)
Strategic guidelines	49	(1)
Decision-making	50	(1)
Open method of coordination	51	(1)
Foreign policy	51	(1)
Amending the treaties	52	(1)
Simplified Treaty revision	53	(1)
Strengths and weaknesses	54	(3)
Conclusion	57	(3)
The Council of Ministers	60	(21)
Introduction	61	(1)
The origins of the Council	61	(1)
The Council hierarchy	62	(4)
The ministers	62	(1)
The preparatory bodies	62	(2)
The Presidency	64	(1)
The Council Secretariat	65	(1)
What does the Council do?	66	(7)
Formal and informal powers	67	(4)
Coordinating the work of the Council	71	(1)
Exerting influence in the Council	72	(1)
Dealing with the other institutions	73	(4)
The Council and EP	73	(2)
The Council and Commission	75	(2)
The Council and accountability	77	(1)
The Council in context	77	(4)
The Council and the larger 'EU system'	77	(1)
Coping with enlargement	78	(1)
Theorizing the Council	79	(2)
The College of Commissioners	81	(23)
Introduction	82	(1)
The origins and history of the College	82	(7)
The structure of the College	89	(7)
The President	89	(5)
The College	94	(1)
The cabinets	95	(1)
The Commission's powers	96	(1)
The College in context	97	(2)
The College after enlargement	99	(1)
Conclusion	100	(4)
The European Parliament	104	(21)
Introduction	105	(1)
Historical evolution	105	(5)
Aggregating interests	110	(3)
Political groups	112	(1)
The committee system	112	(1)
Exercising influence	113	(5)
History-making decisions	114	(1)
Policy-making decisions	114	(3)
Policy-implementing decisions	117	(1)
The Parliament and the democratic deficit	118	(4)
Conclusions	122	(3)
The European Court of Justice	125	(20)
The Court of Justice and the rule of law	126	(1)
The judicial architecture	126	(5)
The courts	127	(2)
The members	129	(1)
Internal organization and procedure	130	(1)
The roles of the Court	131	(1)
Forms of action	132	(5)
Preliminary rulings	132	(2)
Infringement proceedings	134	(2)
Annulment proceedings	136	(1)
Special procedures	136	(1)
The impact of the Court	137	(4)
Jurisprudential impact	137	(1)
Distribution of powers	138	(2)
Assessing the Court's role	140	(1)
Conclusion	141	(4)
Part II Managing the Union	145	(84)
The Commission's Services	147	(22)
Introduction	148	(1)
Origins and evolution	148	(3)
The Monnet model	149	(1)
National bureaucratic models	150	(1)
International organization models	150	(1)
Powers, structure, and functioning	151	(3)
The College and the services	151	(1)
Powers and functions	151	(3)
Structure	154	(1)
Reforming the Commission	154	(8)
The reform programme	155	(3)
Externalizing Commission work	158	(1)
Streamlining personnel policy	159	(1)
Recruitment and training	160	(2)
A decade of turmoil	162	(4)
The Commission and theory	163	(2)
Do Commission officials identify with Europe?	165	(1)
Conclusion	166	(3)
Managing the Euro: The European Central Bank	169	(21)
Introduction	170	(1)
The ECB and the 'other' European banks	170	(1)
The origins of the ECB	171	(3)
Economic and political rationales	171	(2)
Politics in practice: the long road to EMU	173	(1)
Creating the ECB	173	(1)
The structure of the ECB	174	(5)
The powers of the ECB: centralization versus national control	179	(6)
Monetary policy	179	(2)
Economic policy coordination	181	(2)
Exchange rate policy	183	(2)
Democratic accountability and legitimacy issues	185	(2)
Conclusion	187	(3)
Managing Europeanization: The European Agencies	190	(20)
Introduction	191	(1)
Why agencies?	192	(1)
Delegation and policy credibility	193	(1)
Legal and political obstacles to delegation	194	(3)
The growing role of agencies	197	(2)
The politics of institutional choice: the birth of the European Environment Agency	199	(1)
From committees to agency: the development of the EMEA	200	(3)
The uncertain pursuit of regulatory credibility: the European Food Safety Authority	203	(2)
Independence and accountability	205	(1)
The network model	206	(1)
Conclusions	207	(3)
Financial Control: The Court of Auditors and OLAF	210	(19)
Introduction	211	(1)
The origins of the institutions	212	(1)
Structure of the institutions	213	(3)
European Court of Auditors	213	(3)
OLAF	216	(1)
Powers of the institutions	216	(7)
European Court of Auditors	216	(6)
OLAF	222	(1)
The Institutions in context	223	(3)
Financial control and the larger EU system	223	(1)
Theories of integration and institutional development	224	(2)
The impact of the institutions	226	(1)
Conclusions	226	(3)
Part III Integrating Interests	229	(120)
Security Interests: Police and Judicial Cooperation	231	(21)
Introduction	232	(1)
Origins	232	(3)
Phase 1: Ad hoc intergovernmental cooperation: 1960s-1985	232	(1)
Phase 2: Advanced intergovernmental cooperation: 1985-92	233	(2)
Justice and home affairs: the third pillar	235	(3)
Phase 3: Diluted intergovernmentalism: 1993-98	235	(3)
The area of freedom, security and justice	238	(3)
Phase 4: Contained intergovernmentalism: 1999-	238	(3)
Institutionalization and the European Council	241	(2)
Single market institutions for JHA	243	(2)
The European arrest warrant	243	(1)
Mutual assistance in criminal matters	244	(1)
Security interests and terrorism	245	(2)
The Constitutional Treaty	247	(2)
Conclusions	249	(3)
International Interests: The Common Foreign and Security Policy	252	(20)
Introduction	253	(1)
The origins of CFSP institutions	254	(3)
European political cooperation	255	(2)
From EPC to the CFSP	257	(1)
The structure of the CFSP system	257	(5)
The CFSP system in action	261	(1)
Powers of the institutions	262	(4)
CFSP powers	262	(2)
The EU's foreign policy record	264	(1)
Accountability and lobbying	265	(1)
The institutions in context	266	(2)
The CFSP in the EU system	266	(1)
The CFSP and national policies/ministries	267	(1)
Theorizing the CFSP	267	(1)
Conclusion	268	(4)
National Interests: Coreper	272	(21)
Introduction	273	(1)
Coreper's origins	274	(2)
Structure of the institution	276	(5)
Coreper I and II	278	(2)
Contestation	280	(1)
Powers of the institution	281	(1)
De facto decision-makers	281	(1)
Integrating interests	282	(6)
Continuous negotiation	282	(1)
Instruction and voice	283	(1)
Insulation	284	(1)
A dense normative environment	284	(1)
Norm socialization and enlargement	285	(1)
Plotting	286	(1)
Style of discourse	286	(1)
Accountability	287	(1)
The institution in context	288	(1)
The 'Janus face' of Coreper	288	(1)
Conclusions	289	(4)
Political Interests: The European Parliament's Party Groups	293	(19)
Introduction	294	(1)
The shape of the EP party system	294	(5)
Internal organization	299	(4)
Coalition politics and parliamentary committees	303	(3)
Electoral accountability	306	(1)
Parties at the European level	307	(1)
Conclusions	308	(4)
Social and Regional Interests: The Economic and Social Committee and Committee of the Regions	312	(19)
Introduction	313	(1)
The origins of Ecosoc and CoR	314	(3)
The structure of Ecosoc and CoR	317	(4)
Membership	317	(1)
Organization	318	(1)
Coalition-building	319	(2)
The powers of Ecosoc and CoR	321	(6)
Formal powers	321	(1)
Ecosoc in practice	321	(3)
CoR in practice	324	(3)
Ecosoc and CoR in context	327	(1)
Conclusion	328	(3)
Conclusion	331	(18)
Introduction	331	(3)
Institutional interdependence	334	(1)
Capacity---decline or renewal?	335	(5)
The leadership problem	336	(1)
The management problem	336	(2)
The problem of integrating interests	338	(1)
The prospects for renewal	339	(1)
Embedding the national in the European	340	(2)
EU institutions and the new institutionalism	342	(2)
Conclusion	344	(5)
References	349	(24)
Index	373