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EU decision-making
Understanding EU Decision-Making: Principles, Procedures, Practice
This course gets you up to speed on the essential elements of decision-making in the EU. It is concise but thorough and focuses in detail on law-making. It includes an online introduction on the foundations of the EU and a special module on comitology decision-making.
Intro sessions (8 & 10 April) will be online; the main course (15-17 April) is in-person; Comitology module (22 April) returns online.
Intro sessions (8 & 10 April) will be online; the main course (15-17 April) is in-person; Comitology module (22 April) returns online.
“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.
Course methodology/highlights:
This course is based on ‘blended learning’ methodology with both online and in-person interaction. Through the online platform Moodle, we provide course material and facilitate learning prior, during and after the course. In the course, there is plenty of time for questions and opportunity for discussions.
We believe learning happens best with practical knowledge. So this course includes:
- Extensive insights with multiple examples and real life cases
- Quizzes
- Group exercises
- Role plays and simulation games
- Input 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 the following options:
- Option 1
Book the full course including the online Preliminary Module (19 October) plus the in-person Main Course (25-27 October) if you need a comprehensive introduction to EU decision-making.
- Option 2:
Book only the in-person Main Course if you are fully confident in all the basics.
- Option 3:
Book only the online Preliminary Module if you want to have a brief introduction or refresh your knowledge about the basics of EU decision-making.
- 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. You will also have access to the course materials for a duration of three months after the course.
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.
- 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
Preliminary module
The preliminary module on 19 October will take place online via Zoom
Course venue main course
European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA)
O.L. Vrouweplein 22
6211 HE, Maastricht
the Netherlands
Programme Organiser
Ms Belinda Vetter
Tel: +31 43 3296382
b.vetter@eipa.eu
Fee
The fee includes documentation and refreshments, lunches, a reception and dinner, and a walking tour of Maastricht. 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 and 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
Dietary preferences can be indicated on the registration form.
Hotel reservations
EIPA has special price arrangements with a number of hotels. The hotels are within 10 minutes walking distance from EIPA. Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please book directly via the links below. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel upon checking out.
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.).
A few days before the start of the course you will receive the log-in details for accessing the course materials. You can log in here.
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Our experts
Programme
| 09.00 | Welcome and self-presentation of the participants Christoph Klika, Senior Lecturer, EIPA |
| 09.15 | Introduction and overview of EU decision-making The day begins with a succinct summary of the foundations of EU decision-making. Christoph Klika |
| Who does what in the EU institutional system? Group exercise We present a simple model of the core EU policy cycle, indicating the main roles and functions that are involved. You will divide into breakout groups and match schematic outlines with sets of institutional actors and instruments. | |
| 11.00 | Coffee break |
| 11.30 | Debriefing: The legislative policy cycle The exercise is followed by a debriefing focusing on the Ordinary Legislative Procedure, by which the European Parliament and the Council have to agree on most legislative proposals. Christoph Klika |
| 13.00 | Lunch |
| 14.00 | The Commission and legislative proposals You then look in more detail at the start of the policy cycle. We explain how the Commission elaborates legislative proposals and outline the role of expert groups, public consultations and impact assessments. Wolfgang Koeth, Senior Lecturer, EIPA Maastricht (NL) |
| 15.30 | Coffee break |
| 16.00 | Presentation of simulation exercise In preparation for the simulation exercise, we present the Firearms Directive, which serves as the case for simulating intergovernmental negotiations in the Council. Individual roles will be assigned and participants are invited to study their mandates for the simulation. Christoph Klika |
| 17.00 | End of the first day |
| 18.00 | Reception and dinner |
| 09.00 | Simulation exercise: the Firearms Directive The Firearms Directive is used as case to simulate a meeting in the Council framework at which you need to reach a compromise text as a basis for negotiation with the European Parliament. Radovan Schida, Political Administrator, General Secretariat of the Council Christoph Klika and Wolfgang Koeth |
| 11.15 | Group photo and coffee break |
| 11.45 | Debriefing Following a debriefing of the exercise, we summarise how the act was finalised in the real interinstitutional negotiations and open a general discussion on legislative procedures. |
| 13.00 | Lunch |
| 14.00 | Case study on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure A case is now presented. You will discuss each step round the whole legislative cycle. The first part looks at the original process from problem definition to adoption and initial implementation of the directive. Christoph Klika |
| 15.30 | Coffee break |
| 16.00 | Case study on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure (cont.) The second part of the case study looks at how the directive was evaluated, how the Commission prepared a proposal for a regulation that was adopted in 2023. Christoph Klika |
| 17.00 | End of second day |
| 17.15 | Guided walking tour of Maastricht |
| 18.45 | End of the walking tour |
| 09.00 | The international dimension of EU decision-making In this session, we extend our view to include the international dimension of decision-making by presenting the most important procedures in selected areas, e.g. trade, and by reflecting on EU external relations in salient policy areas, e.g. climate, agriculture. Wolfgang Koeth |
| 10.30 | Coffee break |
| 11.00 | Practical perspectives: preparing for EU decision-making The final session provides an inside view of EU procedures. You will then discuss how national officials and other stakeholders can prepare to contribute effectively to EU policy-making. Mieke De Regt, Counsellor for Digital Policy, Permanent Representation of Belgium to the EU |
| 12.30 | Conclusion and evaluation |
| 13.00 | End of the course |