At the heart of the Union : studies of the European Commission

The European Commission is very much at the heart of the European Union. Its wide variety of roles make it the institution most readily identified with the Union's many different activities. Surprisingly, relatively little has been written about this vital European institution. This book makes a major contribution to furthering understanding of the Commission. A broad range of different perspectives based on new research cover all aspects of its nature and functioning. Front Matter....Pages i-xii At the Heart of the Union....Pages 1-26 European Commissioners 1952–1995: National Routes to a European Elite....Pages 27-48 Identities in the European Commission....Pages 49-70 Administrative Culture in the European Commission: The Cases of Competition and Environment....Pages 71-88 A House with Differing Views: The European Commission and Cohesion Policy....Pages 89-108 The Commission as an Agent....Pages 109-128 Uniting European Industrial Policy: A Commission Agenda for Integration....Pages 129-144 Safeguarding the Economic Constitution: The Commission and Competition Policy....Pages 145-166 The Commission Made Me Do It: The European Commission as a Strategic Asset in Domestic Politics....Pages 167-186 The Commission and Implementation in the European Union: Is There an Implementation Deficit and Why?....Pages 187-202 Managing the Managers: The Commission’s Role in the Implementation of Spending Programmes....Pages 203-225 The European Commission and the Politics of Legitimacy in the European Union....Pages 226-244 The Commission and the Intergovernmental Conferences....Pages 245-264 The Role of the Commission: A Theoretical Discussion....Pages 265-282 Themes and Prospects....Pages 283-294 Back Matter....Pages 295-328 The Commission is at the heart of the European Union. Its large number of responsibilities and variety of roles make it the institution most readily associated with the Union's different activities. This study looks at all aspects of the Commission.