THE DECONCENTRATION OF LEGISLATIVE POWER: THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMITTEES IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT *

Abstract

ABSTRACTWith a constitutional framework that provides only weak formal powers over the Council and Commission of the European Community, the European Parliament has adopted a constructive focus on policy control through its committee system. In this study, the organisation and powers of the committees are examined in a developmental perspective, and the manner in which they influence the policy process is analysed through a specific study of the Regional Policy and Social Affairs Committees in 1976–1977. This closer analysis uses both subjective and objective data to show: that the process of legislative scrutiny ‐ and to a lesser extent the initiative of legislation – has become a major focus of committee activity, which in turn absorbs most of the energy of MEPs; that control rests in the hands of a small number of committee members; but that party control over most of the institutional processes prevents the development of autonomous and powerful committees on the model of the U.S. Congress [1].