Transcript PowerPoint Template - Environment engineering group

European Institute of Public Administration - Institut européen d’administration publique
The Architecture of the EU
Environment Policy
Dr Alan Hardacre
Belgrade, 2 November 2010
learning and development - consultancy - research
© EIPA 2010
What can you do about this?
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Achieve Objectives
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Organisation of the Day
1
Introduction to EU Institutions and System
2
How to Engage with EU Institutions
3
NGOs and EU Policy Implementation
4
Conclusions and Discussion
Objectives:
Identity how Serbian NGOs can engage with the EU
Identify the best channels and forms of communication
Understand EU policy process and how you fit in
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Framework of Advocacy
1. Institutional
Design
2. Issue
Characteristics
3. Lobbyist
Resources
• Democratic Accountability
• Decision-Making Processes
• Media coverage and activity
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scope
Salience
Conflict
Focusing Event
History of Issue
Decision-Making process
•
•
•
•
Financial and Human Resources
Membership
Organisational Structure
Type of Actor
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Institutional Design in the EU
1.
Institutional Design
- Democratic Accountability
- Decision-Making Processes
- Media coverage and activity
Democratic
Accountability
DecisionMaking
Media
Commission
[to EP and
Council]
Ordinary
Legislative
Procedure
Limited
European
Media
Parliament
[to citizens and
Party Lists]
Consultation
Consent
Budgetary
Linguistic
Issue
Council
[to national
voters]
Soft Law
Interest Levels
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A ‘simple’ scheme of the EU institutional system
EUROPEAN
COUNCIL
strategic
political
decisions
COURT
autonomous
promotion of
Community interest
judicial control of
Community law
COMMISSION
negotiation
of national
interests
EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK
COUNCIL
PARLIAMENT
direct
representation of citizens
COURT OF AUDITORS
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Political Approach to Institutions
Commission
Parliament
Decision
Making
Council
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Legal Basis
EU
Treaties
Title XX Environment
Articles 191-193
Secondary
legislation
(Regulations,
Directives, Decisions)
Implementing acts
(Regulations
Directives, Decisions)
“Soft Law”
(Recommendations, guidelines, Inter-institutional
agreements, rules of procedure, codes of conduct)
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The Life of an Environmental Issue in the EU
Emissions
Trading
Climate
Change
Biodiversity
Illegal
Logging
Environmental
Issues
Energy
Efficiency
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European Commission
The process starts in the European
Commission. The Commission will
always be key for you
 Created
 Headquarters
 Website
1958
Berlaymont
http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm
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The Commission as an Institution
Promoting the Common Interest
Main roles:
 proposes legislation to the Parliament and the Council
- the European Citizens’ initiative
- the subsidiarity check by national parliaments
 manages and implements EU policies and budget
- execution power given by Parliament and
Council (comitology)
- own decision power (ex: competition policy)
 enforces European law (with the Court of Justice)
 represents the EU on the international stage
 is a mediator between the Institutions
The Berlaymont building
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The European Commission - Structure
“The Commission is a compartmentalised bureaucracy.”
College
27 members
1 President
Vice-Presidents
Commissioners
1 per Commissioners
Chef de Cabinet
6 Members
Directorates General
Services
Director General
Cabinet
+/- 40
make up one administrative
Dep. Director General
body serving the College
Directors
Heads of Unit
Officials; Assistants, Technical©Staff
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The Commissioner + Cabinet
“Members of the Commission shall have their own cabinet to assist them in
their work and in preparing Commission decisions.”
The Cabinet
 is composed of the personal team and advisers of the Commissioner
 provides a combination of private office secretariat, political advice and additional policy
input
 acts as political antenna for Commissioner by keeping him/her alerted to political
sensitive or difficult issues
 helps to coordinate policy and mediate among competing interests both within the
Commission and outside
 reflects the personality and working style both of the Commissioner and the chef de
cabinet
A Commissioner’s reputation depends largely on cabinet efficiency in providing
sound advice and guidance.
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Environment
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/potocnik/about/team/index_en.htm
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The Directorate-General (DG) – Structure
 A typical Unit contains between 12 and 14 officials
 Composition
Head of Unit
4 to 6 officials working on policy development
2 to 3 officials assisting clerks
3 to 5 officials mainly involved in secretarial and other
administrative work
one or 2 contractual positions
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/index_en.htm
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Elaboration of a proposal by the Commission
College of
Commissioners
Commissioners’
cabinets
Directorates-General
Lead DG: Unit
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What you need to know
Key Stages
 Political guidelines/Europe 2020
 CWP
 Roadmaps for DG Environment
 IA
external consultation
 CIS
 Special Chefs
 Hebdo
 Weekly/College meeting
Key People
 President
 Commissioners (Envi)
 Groups of Commissioners
 Members of cabinet (Envi)
 Sec-Gen
 DG Environment
 DGs officials
 Expert groups
Political
Technical
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The Council of the European Union
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The Council - Basic Facts I
The environment dossier
will come from the
Commission to the Council
 Created
1952
 Presidency
Spain
 Members
27 Member States
 Political Parties
No official divisions
 Headquarters
Justus Lipsius, Brussels
 Website
www.consilium.europa.eu
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EIPA 2009 - www.eipa.eu
The Council - Basic Facts II

Decision-maker, shares with Parliament the responsibility
for passing laws and taking policy decisions.

Representative of the 27 national governments.

Meets in different compositions depending on issue:
Environment, Competitiveness, etc.

Rotating six-month Presidency sets the Council’s political
agenda.

Diplomatic, ‘secretive’ decision-making, the least
transparent institution.
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Architecture of the Council
European Council
Chaired by Rotating
Presidency
Council of Ministers
9+1 Configurations
Antici
II - COREPER - I
Separate
Nicolaidis
Structure PSC
Mertens
Permanent Representation Staff
Council Preparatory Bodies
WORKING PARTIES
Special Committees
General Secretariat of the Council
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The European Council – Basic Facts
Family Photo
 Created in 1974
 Acquired a formal status in the 1992 Treaty of Maastricht.
 Function: providing the impetus and general political
guidelines for the Union's development.
 On 1 December 2009, with the entry into force of
the Treaty of Lisbon, it became one of the seven
institutions of the Union.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBloxg8ctkg
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The Presidency of the Council
Presidency rotates every 6 months:
Spain – January -June 2010
Belgium – July – December 2010
Hungary – January – June 2011
Responsibilities:
 Organise and manage the work of the
Council of the European Union
 Chairing of Council meetings (except
Foreign Affairs Council)
 Representing of Council in its dealings
with other European institutions
Political role:
 Drives political agenda
 Brokers deals
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Working Parties – Composition
 National Delegations
(can vary depending on WP)
 Commission
Delegation
 General Secretariat of the
Council Delegation
 Representative of Permanent
Representation; and/or expert
from the capital of MS
 One or several national experts
 Head of Unit
 Desk Officers
 Legal Service(s) (not always)
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COREPER - Composition
 National Delegations
 The Permanent Representative
 The Antici Advisor
 An advisor from the PermRep
 Commission
Delegation
 Deputy Secretary-General
 Head of Unit or Director
 Legal Service
 General Secretariat of the
Council Delegation
 Head of Unit or Director
 Desk Officer
 Legal Service
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Pop.
Germany
France
UK
Italy
Spain
Poland
Romania
Netherlands
Greece
Portugal
Belgium
Czech Rep.
Hungary
Sweden
Austria
Bulgaria
Denmark
Slovakia
Finland
Ireland
Lithuania
Latvia
Slovenia
Estonia
Cyprus
Luxembourg
Malta
EU 27
82.3
63.4
60.8
59.1
44.5
38.1
21.6
16.3
11.2
10.6
10.6
10.3
10.1
9.1
8.3
7.7
5.4
5.4
5.3
4.3
3.4
2.3
2.0
1.3
0.8
0.5
0.4
495.1
Votes
29
29
29
29
27
27
14
13
12
12
12
12
12
10
10
10
7
7
7
7
7
4
4
4
4
4
3
345
Council Voting
The votes must be cast by a majority of
Member States (2/3 of Member States if not on
Commission proposal)
QMV until Nov. 2014
Qualified majority of votes is 255 (= 73.9% of
votes) (min. population represented by winning
coalition = c. 58%)
Blocking minority is 91
A Member State may request verification
that the qualified majority of votes
represents 62% of population (307 mn.)
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What you need to know
Key Elements
The Rotating Presidency
The General Secretariat of the Council
The Working Parties
1st Negotiating Step
Coreper I/II
2nd Negotiating Step
Permanent Representations
Role of National Parliaments
Inter-Institutional Relations
Key People
Head of State/Government +Cabinet
of Country holding the Presidency
General Secretary of the Council
Personnel of General Secretariat
Mertens/ Antici
Attaches/ Advisors/ Deputy Ambassadors/
Ambassadors form Permanent
Representations
Key focus on personnel of the Permanent
Representation holding the Presidency
Members of the Neunreither
2009 - www.eipa.eu
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European Parliament
The environment dossier will
come from the Commission to
the Parliament
The Parliament is a key actor
on environment policy in the
EU
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EIPA 2010 - www.eipa.eu
European Parliament: Basic Facts
 Elected every 5 years (next: June 2014)
 Represents political parties
 736 MEPs (Germany with the most: 99; Malta with the
least: 5)
 Three seats: Brussels (committees), Strasbourg
(plenary), Luxembourg (administration)
 20 Committees, 35 delegations, informal inter-groups
and a Secretariat with some 4,500 staff, of whom
about 1,300 work in the linguistic services covering a
total of 23 official languages
 The EP’s budget for 2009 was €1,5 billion, which
covered staff costs, buildings, MEPs' travel allowance
and expenses
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European Parliament: Roles
 Like all parliaments, the European Parliament has 3
fundamental powers:
- Legislative power
- Budgetary power
- Supervisory power
 The Parliament has gained increased power and
influence and flexes this power when it can.
 However, unlike most national parliaments the European
Parliament does not have the power to initiate European
legislative proposals (unique role of the European
Commission).
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The European Parliament 2010
Parliamentary
sessions
Committee meetings
Political groups meet
External activities
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The European Parliament: an overview
Plenary: 736 MEPs
from 27 Member States
Secretariat- General
Secretary-General
10 Directorates-General
+/- 5000 officials
Conference of
Committee Chairs
20 standing
Committees
Meetings of
Committee
Coordinators
Conference of Presidents
•President of EP
•Political group chairmen
Political Groups
(7 groups)
Bureau
President +
14 Vice-Presidents
Meetings of
Heads of National
Delegation
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Members of European Parliament (MEPs)
 very heterogeneous group
- from 27 Member States
- from more than 150 national parties
 various ties: European political groups - national parties nationality:
- in general party alliances are more important than nationality for
voting behaviour
- the national party affiliation often trumps the European group
membership
- national parties often control the selection of candidates in EP elections
- European political groups control “goods” such as leadership positions,
committee allocation, speaking time etc.
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MEPs: Seats in the European Parliament
Number of seats per country (2009 – 2014
parliamentary term)
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
TOTAL 736
17 (+2)
22
17 (+1)
6
22
13
6
13
72 (+2)
99 (-3)
22
22
12
72 (+1)
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
8 (+1)
12
6
5 (+1)
25 (+1)
50 (+1)
22
33
13
7 (+1)
50 (+4)
18 (+2)
72 (+1)
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Political Groups (November 2010)
ALDE : Group of the Alliance of Liberals
and Democrats for Europe
GREENS/ EFA :
Group of the
Greens/European
Free Alliance
85
55
S&D : Group of the
Progressive
Alliance of
Socialists and
Democrats in the
European
Parliament
EPP : Group of the
European People’s Party
(Christian Democrats)
265
ECR : European
Conservatives
and Reformists
Group
184
54
30
35
GUE/NGL :
Confederal Group of the
European United
Left/ Nordic Green Left
A Group must have at
least 25 members from at
least 7 Member States
28
EFD : Europe of
Freedom and
Democracy
Group
NA : Non-attached
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Committees: basic facts
 20 standing committees
- and two subcommittees
 temporary committees may be set up (e.g. 2007- CLIM:
Climate Change)
 competences laid down in Annex VII of the Parliament’s
Rules of Procedure
 assisted by small staff
- usually 2-8 administrators, 1-2 committee assistants, a number
of secretaries and the EP’s Legal Service
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Environment Committee
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/eng-internetpublisher/eplive/public/default.do?language=en
Watch the Committee Live on the internet!!
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/committees/homeCom.do?language=EN&body=ENVI
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Committee in Detail: Key positions (I)
 Rapporteur (ad hoc) (RoP 45, 47)
- elected through point system by bidding: points are assigned to
political groups according to total number of MEPs in Committee or
Parliament
- often important reports are being rotated in an agreed manner
between the major political groups
- sometimes reports are shared by more then one group by appointing
co-rapporteur
- three primary responsibilities:
- incorporating the EP’s amendments into the draft proposal
- steering the proposal through the different stages of the legislative process
- negotiating compromise within the EP/ Committee and the two other institutions
main contact persons for interest groups and for negotiations with
the Commission and Council
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Committee in Detail: Key positions (II)
 Shadow Rapporteur (RoP 192)
- gains insight into the work of the rapporteur and inform the members
of the respective political group of the progress of deliberations and
give them recommendations
 Committee Chair (RoP 191, 27)
- presides over the meetings, speaks on its behalf in plenary
- represents it at regular conferences of committee chairs
 Committee Coordinators (RoP 192)
- usually one per political group: watchdog for their party
- often plays a decisive role in choosing a rapporteur
- keeps track of the voting behaviour and attendance of the group
members
- work to achieve coherent party position in Committee
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Plenary Session
 voting: MEPs are briefed by their political
groups or their national delegations
 quorum 1/3 of MEPs (RoP 155)
 upon request of at least 40 MEPs the
President establishes
whether quorum is present
 depending on legislation simple or
absolute majority needed
The Chamber in Strasbourg
 12 plenary sessions a year in
Strasbourg
 5 mini sessions in Brussels (2010)
 committees are the practical locus of
decision-making
→ BUT final and formal approval
necessary by the plenary
The Chamber in Brussels
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Ordinary Legislative Procedure: basic features
•
Parliament and the Council full co-legislators
•
Progressively extended to most of the legislative areas
•
Is accompanied by Qualified Majority Vote (QMV) in the Council
•
The Commission can amend its initial proposal in order to allow for
an acceptable agreement for all parties (accepting EP amendments
and/or Council modifications)
•
Except for the conciliation stage, the Council can only decide with
QMV if the Commission agrees
•
Otherwise, unanimity is needed to depart from the proposal of the
Commission
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Version 3.0 - page 43
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