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The President and the Commissioners

9 important questions on The President and the Commissioners

While there is no doubt that the actions of the administrative branch also have political significance, for example in providing expertise and capacity for policy development, there is still a useful distinction to be made between what?

Between the Commission's political leaders - the College of Commissioners - and the officials who sit in the Commission's departments and services.

Within the Commission's internal decision-making process, contentious issues that have not been resolved at lower echelons of the Commission are lifted to this formally political level in the last instance. The College strives to achieve consensus through what?

Through arguing and bargaining. If this does not result in a consensus, voting may take place, although this seems to be relatively rare. When it does happen, all Commissioners, including the President, carry the same weight - one vote each - and an absolute majority is necessary for a final decision to be reached.

Since the College operates on the basis of the principle of collegiality - in other words, all Commissioners are collectively responsible for all decisions taken - it would be reasonable to assume what?

That a relatively large proportion of all controversial decisions is referred to the College.

However, as a result of the present size of the College, more issues seem to be dealt with through what?

Through direct interaction between the President and the particularly affected Commissioner(s). Thus one asks whether 'presidentialization' is taking place, meaning that the President changes from being a primus inter pares ('first among equals') to becoming a primus super pares ('first above equals').

Commissioners have policy responsibilities (portfolios), which involve oversight of one or more Commission department. These departments are known as what?

As Directorates-General (DGs). Because DGs tend to be organized sectorally (for example, DG Agriculture) or functionally (for example, DG Budget), one might expect this to trigger conflicts amongst Commissioners more often along sectoral or functional lines than along territorial.

Although Commissioners are supposed not to take instruction from outside the Commission and do not represent national governments in any formal sense, they are nevertheless what?

Nominated by them.

From 2004 onwards, all governments nominate only one Commissioner each. A major concern has been to avoid the College becoming too large. Why?

Since this could threaten its decision-making capacity. With too many Commissioners, one also faces difficulties finding meaningful portfolios of a reasonable size.

Steps have also been taken to render the Commission more directly accountable to the EP, as illustrated by that fact that what?

That the EP committees now scrutinize nominated Commissioners and the political programme of the Commission.

What kind of College does this inspire?

First, it means that the political leadership of the Commission always has a fixed mix of nationals. Second, it tends to bring people into the College who have the same political party background as the national government nominating them.

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The President and the Commissioners

9 important questions on The President and the Commissioners

While there is no doubt that the actions of the administrative branch also have political significance, for example in providing expertise and capacity for policy development, there is still a useful distinction to be made between what?

Within the Commission's internal decision-making process, contentious issues that have not been resolved at lower echelons of the Commission are lifted to this formally political level in the last instance. The College strives to achieve consensus through what?

Since the College operates on the basis of the principle of collegiality - in other words, all Commissioners are collectively responsible for all decisions taken - it would be reasonable to assume what?

However, as a result of the present size of the College, more issues seem to be dealt with through what?

Commissioners have policy responsibilities (portfolios), which involve oversight of one or more Commission department. These departments are known as what?

Although Commissioners are supposed not to take instruction from outside the Commission and do not represent national governments in any formal sense, they are nevertheless what?

From 2004 onwards, all governments nominate only one Commissioner each. A major concern has been to avoid the College becoming too large. Why?

Steps have also been taken to render the Commission more directly accountable to the EP, as illustrated by that fact that what?

What kind of College does this inspire?

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