POL207 JAN30 2012
INSTITUTIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND DECISION-MAKING II
- Aims:
o Understand how the structure of the EU after the Lisbon Treaty looks like.
o Understand how the council works
o Understand why the European parliament is playing a central role for the EU today
o Understand what the “community method” is
o Understand why the European council ahs a central role as steering committee for the
EU.
- Council
o Institutionalized guarantee for national interests
o Original source of lggitimacy for the European decsision
o Limitation of its former decision-making role
o QMV as ordinary decision-making procedure
o New QMV with the Treaty of Lisbon (double majority) from nov 2014
At least 65% of members of the council (15 or more
At least 65% of the population of the union
o 96 articles where QMV applies. (link)
- Inside organization of the council and council operation and why it is the main representative of
the national states
o 10 council formations
General affairs GAC
Foreign affairs FAC
Economic and financial affairs Ecofin
Agriculture and fisheries -- Agrifish
Justice and home affairs council – JHA
Employment social policy health and consumer affairs council --EPSCO
Competititveness -- COCOM
Transport, telecommunications and energy --
Environment – ENVI
Education youth culture and sport – EYC
o COUNCIL sessions open to public as it pertains to council function as a legislatore
o Council not unified but separated in different council formations.
o Weekly session of council of ministers
- Council: the stage for national exchange and decisions.
o Council relies as well on its functioning commitees
o Before taking decision council informs its committee members and try to aline their
decisions.
- Council: presidencies as lost stage for national projects.