Comitology: Over 50 Years of Institutional Reforms and Emerging Practices

Abstract

Comitology is the European Union’s most important mode of policy making when measured by the number of directives, decisions, and regulations passing through it (Brandsma, 2013). It refers to a system of committees of member-state representatives but chaired by a ‘chef de dossier’ from the Commission, in which the committees need to be consulted before the Commission can adopt executive measures. In total, about 250 committees exist, which together pass 2,000 to 2,500 executive measures per year.