Trans-­national bureaucratic networks in the EU. The role of parliamentary officials in inter-­‐parliamentary coordination and control

Neuhold, Christine (2015) Trans-­national bureaucratic networks in the EU. The role of parliamentary officials in inter-­‐parliamentary coordination and control. [Conference Proceedings] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

It is in the very nature of the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty on national parliaments that members of parliament (MPs) can no longer operate in isolation. A certain number of “votes” by national parliaments is needed in order to flag the yellow card under the Early Warning Mechanism. Against this background this contribution sheds light on the role unelected officials play within this context. Whereas the main focus will be directed towards the network of the permanent representatives of national parliaments to the European Union (NPRs), we put it into context by comparing it to other forms of trans-­‐national bureaucratic cooperation such as the Committee of European Affairs Committees (COSAC) Secretariat. This should then enable us to answer the more analytical question of whether parliamentary officials operating within trans-­‐national bureaucratic networks remain representatives of “their” respective national parliament in Brussels or adopt a trans-­‐national, “European”, stance.

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