Administrative Reform in the European Commission: From Rhetoric to Relegitimization

Schön‐Quinlivan, Emmanuelle

doi:10.5771/9783845202273-25

Cited by 15 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…First, notwithstanding temporary officials' ambiguous and short affiliation towards the Commission administration, this study shows that their behavioural logics are profoundly mediated by the formal structure of the Commission administration -similar to permanent Commission officials. Second, recent reforms of the Commission administration have been described as historic, profound in depth, and wide-ranging in scope (Barzelay and Jacobsen, 2009;Bauer, 2009;Scho¨n-Quinlivan, 2006). However, re-engineering a large Commission administration is not done overnight.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On bureaucratic centre formation in government institutions: lessons from the European Commission

Trondal

2012

International Review of Administrative Sciences

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Identifying and explaining bureaucratic centre formation within government institutions – such as the European Commission (Commission) – is essential for understanding political order and the potential and limitations for public sector governance. Benefiting from a new body of interview data this article adds two key observations: First, bureaucratic centre formation in the Commission does not profoundly penetrate the Commission as a whole. Comparing officials from the Secretariat General and DG Trade, this study suggests that bureaucratic centre formation is primarily happening within the Secretariat General and only marginally penetrating DG Trade. Two behavioural logics tend to coexist within the Commission administration, albeit embedded and layered within different organizational sub-units. Variation in bureaucratic centre formation is associated with two key variables: (i) the accumulation of relevant organizational capacities at the bureaucratic centre, and (ii) the vertical and horizontal specialization of the Commission administration. Third, these findings hold when ‘controlling for’ recent managerial reforms inside the Commission. The article illustrates that despite recent Commission reforms, some core behavioural logics among Commission officials are not profoundly transformed. Points for practitioners The administration of the European Commission is seen as increasingly steered from the executive centre – that is from the President and the Secretariat General. This study, however, makes two main observations: First, it shows that the strengthening of the executive centre inside the Commission administration (the Secretariat General) is not echoed throughout the services of the Commission. The ambition to make the Secretariat General the service centre for the Commission President is currently not greatly penetrating and transforming the everyday activities of the Directors General (DGs). Second, the study shows that despite historic administrative reforms of the Commission, the everyday behaviour of Commission officials remains basically unaffected.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On bureaucratic centre formation in government institutions: lessons from the European Commission

Trondal

2012

International Review of Administrative Sciences

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“…Kassim 2009). Recent administrative reforms of the Commission have been described as historic, profound in depth, and wide-ranging in scope (Barzelay and Jacobsen 2009;Bauer 2009;Schön-Quinlivan 2006). Yet, the behavioural logics among Commission officials seem not profoundly transformed by these reforms (Trondal 2012b).…”

Section: Integrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Rise of European Administrative Space: Lessons Learned

Trondal¹,

Peters²

2013

Journal of European Public Policy

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Despite advances in contemporary research on the European administrative space (EAS), no widespread understanding about its meaning, mechanisms and significance yet exists. This research agenda paper offers a comprehensive conceptualisation of EAS and takes stock of accumulated lessons learned. It is suggested that the rise of EAS features a transformation of administrative order that analytically can be grasped in terms of four analytical dimensions: independence, integration, co-optation and institutionalisation. Taken together, these elements suggest that EAS features the transformation of the inherent administrative order and the rise of an emergent common administrative system. The purpose of this research agenda paper essay is three-folded. Our first ambition is conceptual by offering a new account of EAS. The second ambition is empirical examining the varied and rich research agendas currently under way. Our final ambition is to stimulate further research along the conceptual map suggested. The empirical laboratory consists of key institutions of EAS, notably the European Commission, the European Parliament administration, EU agencies, EU committees, and domestic agencies.

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“…Recent administrative reforms of the Commission have been described as historic, profound in depth, and wide-ranging in scope (Barzelay and Jacobsen 2009;Bauer 2009;Schön-Quinlivan 2006). Yet, research suggests that the behavioural logics among Commission officials are not profoundly transformed by such reforms (Trondal 2012).…”

Section: Results and Discussion: Centre Forma-tion In The Commission mentioning

confidence: 99%

Centre Formation and the European Commission: A Research Note

Trondal¹

2012

TOPOLISJ

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Abstract:The preceding decade has witnessed a boost in research on the European Commission (Commission). One central issue debated has been Commission centre formation, both what it entails, its sources, and potential implications. Centre formation in this literature entails the internal integration of government institutions, thus reinforcing intrainstitutional administrative hierarchies. Contemporary research, however, offers inconclusive results as regards the internal integration of the Commission administration. The main motivation for this research note is to show that seemingly inconclusive findings in contemporary Commission research might in fact be complementary. Contemporary literature reports that centre formation inside the Commission is primarily observed at the helm of the Commission hierarchy within the General Secretariat -however only marginally affecting everyday decision-making within Commission sub-units (primarily the policy DGs (ministries)). Competing observations of this kind might be considered complementary because competing behavioural logics tend to co-exist within the Commission administration, albeit embedded and layered within different organisational sub-units.

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Administrative Reform in the European Commission: From Rhetoric to Relegitimization

Cited by 15 publications

References 0 publications

On bureaucratic centre formation in government institutions: lessons from the European Commission

On bureaucratic centre formation in government institutions: lessons from the European Commission

The Rise of European Administrative Space: Lessons Learned

Centre Formation and the European Commission: A Research Note

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