Understanding EU Decision-Making: Principles, Procedures, Practice (+ preliminary module)

“I’m participating in that meeting in Brussels next week. Is it an expert group or a comitology committee?”

“I need to brief the boss about what to expect. Will the Commission ask her to vote?”

“How can I know where our issue is in the EU decision process, and what comes next?”

Simple questions, the answers to which may be complex, and yet can make your job easier. This course will get you up to speed on the essential elements of how the EU system works: the different powers that the EU has, who does what, and how you can have a role in shaping EU decisions. It is concise but thorough, and focusses in detail on EU law-making.

To get maximum benefits out of this course, irrespective of your level of knowledge on EU decision-making, we have included a preliminary online module that introduces the foundations of decision-making in the EU.

What will you learn

• The legal bases for what the EU can and cannot do
• The main ways in which decisions are taken
• The different powers that Member States have given to the EU
• The differences between legislative acts, implementing acts (the world of ‘comitology’!) and the new delegated acts, relating them to their place in the EU policy cycle, as well as in the hierarchy of laws.
• The decision-making procedures within the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament, and the ways in which national officials and other stakeholders fit into the policy process.
• The ordinary legislative procedure and how a ‘trilogue’ works.
• Delegated and implementing acts using topical cases (including the well-known ‘glyphosate’ saga).

Course methodology/highlights:

Each day will end early or mid-afternoon to allow ample time to process the content, prepare for the next day, and do any necessary work related tasks. In this course, there is plenty of time and opportunity for exercises and discussions. Sufficient breaks and pauses have been included to ensure an effective course.

We believe learning happens best with practical knowledge. So this course includes:

• Extensive insights with multiple examples and real life cases
• Group exercises
• Role plays and simulation games
• Inputs from experienced EU practitioners as the basis for discussion among participants about the practical demands of participation in the various stages of EU decision-making.

For this course we offer two other options for which you can register:

If you are confident of all the basics, and do not feel that you need any further training on it, you can register only for the main course. If you only want to refresh your knowledge you can register for the online Preliminary module.

• Understand the essential principles and procedures that you need to know in order to be credible when operating in an EU context
• Be able to decode messages and reports from Brussels
• Be more effective in your own interactions with other officials
• Be better equipped to explain how things work to your colleagues and associates
• Have a feel for how things work in practice, and be able to prepare appropriately
• Have a solid basis for continuous learning on the job afterwards.

Course material and learning support

To provide course materials and to facilitate learning, we make use of the online platform Moodle.

In order to help retain and deepen the knowledge acquired afterwards, you will receive a copy of Edward Best’s book Understanding EU Decision-Making, published with the support of the EU Publications Office.

You will also have access to the course materials for a duration of three months after the course.

• Officials who have taken on a new role in Brussels
• Officials who have to take part in meetings in the Commission or Council
• Anyone who needs to know how EU decision-making works in practice

Course venue
European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA)
O.L. Vrouweplein 22
6211 HE, Maastricht
the Netherlands

The preliminary course on 13 October will take place online via Zoom.

Programme Organiser
Ms Belinda Vetter
Tel: +31 43 3296382
b.vetter@eipa.eu

Fee
The fee includes documentation and refreshments. Lunches, a reception or dinner are included if mentioned in the programme. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.

Discounts
EIPA member fee
EIPA offers a discount to all civil servants working for one of EIPA’s supporting countries, and civil servants working for an EU institution, body or agency.

Who are the supporting countries?
Civil servants coming from the following EIPA supporting countries are entitled to get the reduced fee: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden.

For all other participants, the regular fee applies.

Early bird discount
The early bird discount is not cumulative with other discounts or promo codes, except for the EIPA member fee.

Meals
Lunches, the reception or dinner will be served at a restaurant in town. Special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic) can be indicated once you receive the confirmation of the course.

Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed online registration form.

Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation.

Cancellation policy
For administrative reasons you will be charged €150 for cancellations received within 15 days before the activity begins. There is no charge for qualified substitute participants.

EIPA reserves the right to cancel the activity up to 2 weeks before the starting date. In that case, registration fees received will be fully reimbursed. EIPA accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred (travel, accommodation, etc.).