ABSTRACT
This chapter will look at the relationships of member states with the European Commission in the decision-making process of the EU in the areas of the CAP and the Regional Policy. It will analyse the approach of smaller states to the Commission and this will be compared with the approach of the larger states. We will test the hypothesis which states that:
the limited capacity and special characteristics of the administrations of the smaller states affect their relationship with the Commission. Firstly, the larger states are able to exert a stronger influence upon the Commission. The smaller states compensate for this by using the special characteristics of their small administrations to develop a special relationship with officials of the Commission. Secondly, due to the limited capacity of the administrations of the smaller states, they rely more upon the Commission to get their proposals through the Council.
