European Union Public Policy
                                       Professor John Wilton

                                             Lecture 8
                Policy decision-making 2: decision-making in the European Parliament

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 8

•             Decision-making in the European Parliament;

•             The relationship between the European Parliament and the national Member state
parliaments

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 8

- The change in the inter-institutional dimension of            the E.U.

-  3 organisational and behavioural aspects of policy          decision-making in the European
Parliament:

          a) committee work;

          b) the division of labour within political                        party groups;

          c) the building of majorities



                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 8

-             Committee work in the European Parliament



      - 1999 to 2004 European Parliament had 17      permanent committees

      - 1996 temporary committee of enquiry to          examine the transit system

      - 1996 temporary committee of enquiry to deal  with BSE crisis

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 8

b) The division of labour within the political party groups

      - political party groups control the agenda           of European Parliament AND its   
internal organisation

          - through Conference of Presidents         (President of E. P. and chairmen/women    of
political party groups)



                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 8

c) The building of policy and policy decision-making majorities

     - necessity to build majority support         between national Member state    MEP party groups



                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 8

 - main political party groups in European Parliament:

     - social democrats

     - conservatives/Christian Democrats

     - liberals

     - greens

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 8

- strong incentives for cohesive political        party groups and for coalition         policy
decision-making formations

    - growing inter-institutional    ambitions and influence

    - committee influence

    - policy decision-making influence

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 8

2. The relationship between the European Parliament and the national Member state parliaments

      - Maastricht (1993) and Amsterdam (1997)       Treaties considerably increased status of   
European Parliament, especially as a policy   decision-making body

          - particularly in relation to national Member               state parliaments

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 8

 CONTRADICTION:

     - growth in legislative importance of         E.U. (and European Parliament)

                contradicts with

        low public perception of         importance of E.U. (and European    Parliament)