The European Commission : an essential guide to the institution, the procedures, and the policies

Some view the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, as one of the most innovative administrative bodies in the world, while others see it as a bureaucratic giant. This book does away with these superficial and simplified ideas. It shows how the Commission acts with other players as part of a balanced system of decision-making. Straightforward and accessible, it de-mystifies procedures, practices, and policies which, up until now, have been perceived by many as baffling and oblique. 0749452668......Page 1 Half title page......Page 2 The European Commission......Page 3 Title page......Page 4 Imprint......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 List of tables......Page 10 Editors’ Foreword......Page 14 INTRODUCTION: THE TASKS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION......Page 16 THE INSTITUTIONAL TRIANGLE......Page 20 THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE......Page 37 THE EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS......Page 39 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS......Page 40 ADVISORY BODIES......Page 43 MISCELLANEOUS......Page 45 AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES......Page 46 COMITOLOGY......Page 48 THE COLLEGIAL ORGAN OF THE 27 COMMISSION MEMBERS......Page 50 DISTRIBUTION OF TASKS AMONG COMMISSION MEMBERS (2004–2009)......Page 52 DECISION-MAKING BY THE COMMISSION MEMBERS......Page 53 THE CABINETS......Page 54 THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION AS AN AUTHORITY......Page 58 OFFICIALS AND STAFF OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION......Page 63 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES – DG EMPL......Page 74 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR EDUCATION AND CULTURE – DG EAC......Page 81 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL MARKET AND SERVICES – DG MARKET......Page 88 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR FISHERIES AND MARITIME AFFAIRS – DG FISH......Page 94 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT – DG RTD......Page 99 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR HEALTH AND CONSUMER PROTECTION – DG SANCO......Page 117 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY AND MEDIA – DG INFSO......Page 123 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY – DG ILS......Page 129 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT – DG AGRI......Page 135 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR REGIONAL POLICY – DG REGIO......Page 143 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR TAXATION AND CUSTOMS UNION – DG TAXUD......Page 149 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR THE ENVIRONMENT – DG ENV......Page 154 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR ENTERPRISE AND INDUSTRY – DG ENTR......Page 160 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR ENERGY AND TRANSPORT – DG TREN......Page 169 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR COMPETITION – DG COMP......Page 180 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS – DG ECFIN......Page 187 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR BUDGET – DG BUDGET......Page 193 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR COMMUNICATIONS – DG COMM......Page 194 HUMANITARIAN AID DEPARTMENT – ECHO......Page 200 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS – DG RELEX......Page 204 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR DEVELOPMENT – DG DEV......Page 215 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR ENLARGEMENT – DG ELARG......Page 220 EuropeAid – OFFICE FOR CO-OPERATION – AIDCO......Page 226 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR TRADE – DG TRADE......Page 232 SECRETARIAT GENERAL – SG......Page 240 LEGAL SERVICE – SJ......Page 246 OFFICE FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS – OPOCE......Page 247 EUROPEAN ANTI-FRAUD OFFICE – OLAF......Page 248 EUROPEAN PERSONNEL SELECTION OFFICE – EPSO......Page 251 EUROSTAT – ESTAT......Page 253 PAYMASTER’S OFFICE – PMO......Page 256 OFFICE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICS, BRUSSELS – OIB......Page 257 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INFORMATICS – DG DIGIT......Page 258 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERPRETATION – DG INTERPRETATION – DG INTERPRETATION......Page 261 INTERNAL AUDITING SERVICE – IAS......Page 262 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION – DG ADMIN......Page 263 BUREAU OF EUROPEAN POLICY ADVISERS – BEPA......Page 265 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR TRANSLATION – DG DGT......Page 266 THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION......Page 270 OTHER EU INSTITUTIONS AND FACILITIES......Page 274 BUSINESS AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS......Page 276 List of sources......Page 282 Abbreviations......Page 284 Author biographies......Page 290 Index......Page 294 ISBN-13: 9780749452667 0749452668 1 Half title page 2 The European Commission 3 Title page 4 Imprint 5 Contents 6 List of tables 10 Editors’ Foreword 14 Chapter 1 The Commission and the other institutions and bodies of the European Union 16 INTRODUCTION: THE TASKS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 16 THE INSTITUTIONAL TRIANGLE 20 THE EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE 37 THE EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS 39 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS 40 ADVISORY BODIES 43 MISCELLANEOUS 45 AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES 46 COMITOLOGY 48 Chapter 2 The 27 Commissioners: the political college 50 THE COLLEGIAL ORGAN OF THE 27 COMMISSION MEMBERS 50 DISTRIBUTION OF TASKS AMONG COMMISSION MEMBERS (2004–2009) 52 DECISION-MAKING BY THE COMMISSION MEMBERS 53 THE CABINETS 54 Chapter 3 Directorates General and Services: the administrative structure of the Commission 58 THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION AS AN AUTHORITY 58 OFFICIALS AND STAFF OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION 63 Chapter 4 The policies 74 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES – DG EMPL 74 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR EDUCATION AND CULTURE – DG EAC 81 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL MARKET AND SERVICES – DG MARKET 88 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR FISHERIES AND MARITIME AFFAIRS – DG FISH 94 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT – DG RTD 99 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR HEALTH AND CONSUMER PROTECTION – DG SANCO 117 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY AND MEDIA – DG INFSO 123 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY – DG ILS 129 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT – DG AGRI 135 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR REGIONAL POLICY – DG REGIO 143 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR TAXATION AND CUSTOMS UNION – DG TAXUD 149 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR THE ENVIRONMENT – DG ENV 154 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR ENTERPRISE AND INDUSTRY – DG ENTR 160 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR ENERGY AND TRANSPORT – DG TREN 169 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR COMPETITION – DG COMP 180 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS – DG ECFIN 187 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR BUDGET – DG BUDGET 193 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR COMMUNICATIONS – DG COMM 194 Chapter 5 External relations 200 HUMANITARIAN AID DEPARTMENT – ECHO 200 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS – DG RELEX 204 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR DEVELOPMENT – DG DEV 215 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR ENLARGEMENT – DG ELARG 220 EuropeAid – OFFICE FOR CO-OPERATION – AIDCO 226 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR TRADE – DG TRADE 232 Chapter 6 General services 240 SECRETARIAT GENERAL – SG 240 LEGAL SERVICE – SJ 246 OFFICE FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS – OPOCE 247 EUROPEAN ANTI-FRAUD OFFICE – OLAF 248 EUROPEAN PERSONNEL SELECTION OFFICE – EPSO 251 EUROSTAT – ESTAT 253 Chapter 7 Internal services 256 PAYMASTER’S OFFICE – PMO 256 OFFICE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICS, BRUSSELS – OIB 257 OFFICE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOGISTICS, LUXEMBOURG – OIL 258 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INFORMATICS – DG DIGIT 258 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERPRETATION – DG INTERPRETATION – DG INTERPRETATION 261 INTERNAL AUDITING SERVICE – IAS 262 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION – DG ADMIN 263 BUREAU OF EUROPEAN POLICY ADVISERS – BEPA 265 DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR TRANSLATION – DG DGT 266 Chapter 8 Important addresses and phone numbers 270 THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION 270 OTHER EU INSTITUTIONS AND FACILITIES 274 BUSINESS AND OTHER ASSOCIATIONS 276 List of sources 282 Abbreviations 284 Author biographies 290 Index 294

The fifteenth European Commission has divided European and world opinion. Some view the Commission as one of the most efficient and innovative administrative bodies in the world, while others see it as a bureaucratic giant and an impediment to the ideal of a united Europe.

The European Commission is a detailed and comprehensive guide to the workings of this complex institution. This straightforward and accessible new title demystifies procedures, practices and policies, which, up until now, have been perceived by many as baffling and circuitous.

Written in a style that is both uncomplicated and user-friendly, the authors provide readers with information about: the history of the European Commission, the administrative structure, its policies and procedures, external relations, general and internal services.

Packed with useful tables and figures, The European Commission will help you to understand how the machinery of the Commission functions and how its daily work is carried out.

Whether you are already working in the political arena or are a student of politics, this book is an essential and fascinating guide to the European Commission.

The European Commission is a detailed and comprehensive guide to the workings of the European Commission. This straightforward and accessible new title de-mystifies procedures, practices and policies, which, up until now, have been perceived by many as baffling and oblique. Written in a style that is both uncomplicated and user-friendly, the authors equip readers with all the information about the background of the Commission; its administrative structure; its policies; external relations; and general and internal services "The European Commission shows how the Commission acts with other EU organizations as part of a balanced system of decision-making. It explains the internal structure and offers an overview of the interconnected European policies." "The European Commission is a must-have for ail readers active in the areas of politics, the media and business, and provides comprehensive information."--BOOK JACKET. This title details the practices of the fifteenth European Commission , showing how the Commission works with other bodies as part of a balanced system of decision-making. The book explains the internal structure of the Commission and provides a compact overview of the interconnected European policies.