The impact of Juncker's reorganization of the European Commission on the internal policy‐making process: Evidence from the Energy Union project

Using illustrations from Energy Union‐related legislative initiatives, this article argues that organizational reforms have led to a more top‐down approach in the steering of the European Commission, allowing Commission President Juncker a more centralized internal leadership than his predecessor Ba...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inPublic administration (London) Vol. 98; no. 2; pp. 378 - 391
Main Author Bürgin, Alexander
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.06.2020
Subjects
Ambition
Coordination
Leadership
Organizational change
Policy making
Presidents
Reorganization
Tribunals & commissions
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Using illustrations from Energy Union‐related legislative initiatives, this article argues that organizational reforms have led to a more top‐down approach in the steering of the European Commission, allowing Commission President Juncker a more centralized internal leadership than his predecessor Barroso. Interviews with EU policy‐makers revealed two main findings. First, the new filter functions of the seven Vice‐Presidents and the Secretariat‐General have contributed to a more top‐down policy formulation process. Second, horizontal coordination has been improved by the implementation of project teams, and by the abolition of a separate Commissioner for Climate Action. Consequently, the level of ambition of the Commission's policy agenda now depends more than in the past on the Commission President's priorities.
ISSN:0033-3298
1467-9299
DOI:10.1111/padm.12388