ABSTRACT

This chapter presents the European Union (EU) political system in a broader sense, by taking into account all the organs established by the treaties or by EU legislative norms. It addresses the growing role played by national parliaments in EU policy making. Despite treaty reforms their involvement was quite limited for a very long time, but they are now much more mobilized. The chapter deals with the numerous non-institutional actors such as, experts, national civil servants, lobbyists, civil society representatives, etc. that surround the EU institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg. There are many consultative bodies in the EU whose roles and importance are quite weak. The chapter presents the two main ones who are also the most institutionalized: the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. The European Economic and Social Committee was established by the treaty of Rome in 1957 and represents the various socio-professional groups across the EU.