ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the drafting of European Union (EU) acts from the perspective of those actually involved in drafting within the European Commission. It focuses on the drafting processes in a standard procedure for the adoption by the European Parliament and the Council of a legislative act under the Treaty establishing the European Community (EC Treaty) and is far from exhaustive. Each Directorates General (DG) is responsible for preparing and drafting the legislative acts and implementing acts in its sector. The Commission legal revisers have since 2001 been offering technical staff introductory courses in drafting designed to familiarise them with the Joint Practical Guide and with the basic rules and principles applying to drafting. A draft act passes through all the internal discussion stages within the Commission in just one language but it must be translated into all the official languages before it can be submitted for adoption by all the Members of the Commission, the College.
