Policy Preparation Inside the European Commission

The European Commission is at the heart of EU policymaking. However, over the past 15-20 years, its position has been challenged 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. Policy Preparation Inside the European Commission 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 authors support this point with 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 50 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 still a powerful and proactive player in EU politics.