Pavel Jakovlev's presentation on EU Institutional Interplay, given at the University of Malta on 28/11/2014

1. EU Institutional Interplay
28 November 2014

2. The EU Institutions

4. European Commission
 28 Cabinets, headed by Commissioners [Political]
 33 Departments (DGs) + 11 Services, headed by Director
Generals; split into Units, headed by Heads of Units [Technical]
 Large fragmentation and constant overlap of duties
 Continuous ‘tug of war’ between different DGs, ‘Cabinets’ and
‘Services’
 Constant ‘sharing of competences’ amongst Units – ‘the who
does what?’

7. European Parliament
 22 Committees, each governed by 1 Chair and 4 Vice-Chairs
 7 Political Groups, ranging from far left (GUE/NGL) to far right
(EFD/NI)
 NB! Group coordinators, political advisors and spokespersons
 Each Political Group has its coordinators and advisors
 Each Committee has administrative/political staffers

8. EP Committees at work
ENVI
ITRE
EMPL AGRI ECON DEVE
OPINION-GIVING COMMITTEES

9. Drafting the legislation
Rapporteur
[ex. EPP]
Shadow
rap. [ex.
Greens]
Shadow
rap.[ex.
ALDE]
Shadow
rap. [ex.
GUE/NGL]
Shadow
rap. [ex.
S&D]
Shadow
rap. [ex.
ECR]
Shadow
rap. [ex.
EFD/NI]

11. The Council of the EU
 Powerful EU national permanent representations, composed of
skilled attachés, assemble into thematic working groups;
 COREPER I: deputy permanent representatives work with
technical matters;
 COREPER II: ambassadors work with political, commercial,
economic or institutional matters;
 All maters are settled by compromise and political trade-offs;
 Agenda is set by the EU Member State which holds the EU
rotating Presidency (6 months) + other MSs who compose the
TRIO of presidencies.

12. The unknown beast of Comitology
 In exercising its implementing powers, the Commission is
assisted by representatives of the Member States through
committees, in accordance with the “comitology” procedure.
 Types of committees:
 Advisory committees
 Management committees
 Regulatory committees
 Regulatory committees with scrutiny

13. Constant competition
 EEAS + EESC + CoR + CJEU + Court of Auditors + ECB + …
 Inter- and intra-institutional competition due to competences
overlap;
 EP Committees competence blur and the battle of the MEPs’
egos;
 The tug of war between the cabinet and services at the EC
 The triumph of political compromise in the Council, rise of the
‘trialogue’ and backdoor trade-offs - can we all be happy?

14. How to keep track?
 EU Bubble media:
 Euractiv
 EU Observer
 European Voice
 Europolitics
 New Europe
 The Financial Times
 The Economist
 The Wall Street Journal

15. How to keep track?
 Transparency Register:
 Track who’s in registered, what are their interests and budgets. All
info available publicly for transparency purposes
 Twitter:
 See latest exchange from MEPs on a particular dossier
 Track legislation developments through official announcements
[EP News Hub]
 EP Questions:
 Stay up to date with topics that are being discussed

16.  European Commission:
 Midday briefing / midday express
 DGs and Commissioners’ websites (news sections)
 European Parliament:
 EP Questions
 Legislative observatory
 Committees’ news section
 The Council:
 Telepathy?..
Tools for research

17. Bonus! 2014 Elections review
Junker’s Commission
 Includes 5 former PMs, 11 candidates
with a financial background, 8 foreign
affairs specialists, and 7 incumbent
Commissioners;
 Only 9 female Commissioners;
 UK, French, Hungarian, Spanish and
Czech aspirants are under pressure,
while Slovenian Commissioner self-nominated
herself;
 Power struggle between EPP and S&D
 #LuxLeaks
Euro-skeptic Parliament
 EP failed to generate voters’ interest
amid ‘Act.React.Impact’ campaign;
 More Euro-skeptic politicians came to
Brussels on both left and right side of
the political spectrum;
 Major disagreements between
ECR/EFD and the new comers from
Front National, Lega Nord, FPÖ and
PVV;
 Due to rapid rise of anti-EU sentiment,
good MEPs lost their seats to populists
 GUE/NGL – biggest winner

18. Q & A
YEAH!

19. Thank you!

20. BIO
Bachelor of European Studies (Hons.)
graduate, class of 2011
Thesis on TFEU 56 and online services
Seven years in online commerce
Two unpaid internships
Three years in lobbying
Currently working as a reputation / bizdev
manager for an engineering company
Twitter: @Pjakovlev
LinkedIn: Pavel Jakovlev
Email: paveljakovlev28@gmail.com