The Role of Committees in the Policy-Process of the European Union

This book provides a comprehensive account of the role of the advisory, legislative and implementation committees involved in the policy-making process of the European Union. This is an aspect of EU politics that is often overlooked and remains under-researched, even though such committees can have wide-ranging influence in the policy-process. The group of international scholars contributing to this volume are all experts in their field, coming from different disciplinary backgrounds including political science, law and public administration. The volume combines contributions to a discussion of the normative issues arising from the nature of 'committee governance' in the EU with more empirical contributions on the role of committees in each of the stages of the EU policy-process: policy-preparation, legislative decision-making, policy-implementation and adjudication. The result is a text that provides not only a thorough overview of the role of committees in the EU today but also contributes to a deeper understanding of the nature of European governance. The Role of Committees in the Policy-Process of the European Union will find its audience in final year undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers of European studies and politics. Practitioners, NGOs and lobbyists involved in the work of the EU will all find this a uniquely useful book.