EU COMMITTEES: BASIC FACTS

   

   

   COMMITTEE = MORE OR LESS INSTITUTIONALISED

   GROUP OF SO-CALLED EXPERTS REPRESENTING A

   PUBLIC OR PRIVATE INTEREST CLUSTER IN EUROPE

   

   ABOUT 1.800 EXPERT GROUPS FOR POLICY-FORMATION

   * IN 'DRAFT PHASE' OF COMMISSION (100% EU LAW)

   * GREEN PAPER> WHITE PAPER> DRAFT PROPOSAL

                                     * NOT HAVING FORMAL POWERS

   * ESTABLISHED BY COMMISSION DG/ CHEF DE DOSSIER

   * COMPOSITION FIFTY-FIFTY PUBLIC/ PRIVATE

   * PUBLIC: 2/3 CENTRAL, 1/3 DECENTRAL

   * PRIVATE: 2/3 BUSINESS, 1/3 NGO

   

   ABOUT 450 COMITOLOGY COMMITTEES

   * 'IMPLEMENTATION' PHASE = COM (>85% EU LAW)

   * HAVING DELEGATED FORMAL POWERS

   * ESTABLISHED BY SECONDARY ACT

   * FORMAL SCRUTINY BY COUNCIL/EP

             (COMPOSITION, APPEAL, REVIEW)

                                * BUT IN PRACTICE RUN BY COMMISSION

                                   * PUBLIC > PRIVATE COMPOSITION

   

   FUNCTIONAL EQUIVALENTS:

   * AGENCIES (ABOUT 20): COMITOLOGY-LIKE

   * COUNCIL WORKING GROUPS (ABOUT 300) (<15% LAW)

   

   EU COMMITTEES

   * ABOUT 80.000 ‘INSOURCED EXPERTS’ AT ALL

   * USUALLY OPEN ENTRY = PLURALISTIC, COMPETITIVE

   * STAKEHOLDERS CONNECTED IN PARALLEL

   * INTERESTS CONNECTED IN SERIES

   * OUTSIDE WORLD AS ‘CODECISION-MAKER’

   * AVERAGE COSTS OF COMMITTEE 40.000 EURO A YEAR

   * OVERLAPS OF FUNCTIONS AND PERSONNEL

                  
                                                                                             rvs
   04/05