coordina

GRIP ON THE WHOLE: 

GRIP ON THE WHOLE The European Council The Council Coreper Working groups The Commission, The European Parliament The Treaties PLANNING

Slide2: 

EU decision making in brief VNEUS/JS/9.3.2003 The European Council (heads of state/government) The Council (member states) The Commission - 20 commissioners - 21 directorates general The European Parliament - 626 members Council of Ministers 9 formations Coreper I and II Working groups Committees eg. PSC, 133, EFC,SCA etc. proposals co-decision opinions political guidance Secretariat-general decisions Member States

Slide3: 

80% Working Groups 15% Coreper 5% Ministries Figures Over 200 Council Working Groups 17 meetings per day

GRIP ON THE DOERS: 

GRIP ON THE DOERS Officials in the Commission Officials in the Permanent Representation Officials in the countries having the next Presidencies Officials in the the country holding the Presidency LOBBYING

GRIP ON TIMING: 

GRIP ON TIMING EU-schedules overrun national ones Nothing is postponed just because you are not ready Positions in time = influencing Positions late = damage control with a high price  DISCIPLINE

KEYS TO SUCCESS: 

KEYS TO SUCCESS MINISTRIES ARE EU-PREPARED The whole, the doers and timing is clear to everybody (Ministers, heads, desk officers) Training Resources  COMMITMENT

KEYS TO SUCCESS: 

KEYS TO SUCCESS NOT (TOO MUCH) RIVALRY BETWEEN MINISTRIES There is only one Council Member states with coherent and consistent positions (vertically and horizontally) can best defend their national interests Cooperation Transparency  EXPERTISE OF ALL NEEDED

KEYS TO SUCCESS: 

KEYS TO SUCCESS EFFICIENT EU-COORDINATION The structure and the role of the Interministerial Coordination Unit recognized by the Ministries Political backing ensured The role of the national parliament clear The Permanent Representation involved the Ministries’ internal coordination in trim

EU-COORDINATION TASKS: 

EU-COORDINATION TASKS ”POLICY”: instructions and implementation in line with the agreed national EU-policy coherent positions in horizontal files institutional memory and expertise, legal advice ”POLICE”: instructions in time identification of issues to be handled in the coordination system (political level, civil servant level) ”PUSHES”: planning, lobbying ”LEFT-OVERS”: nominations, languages, council working methods…

Slide10: 

The Coordination of EU-affairs in Finland The Cabinet Committee on EU affairs Ministries - prepare national positions u-letters u-complements e-letters (non-legisl. issues) (legislative issues) council meetings opinion Parliament The Grand Committee sectorial committees Foreign Aff. (cfsp) VNEUS/JS/6.3.2002 opinion The Government EU plenary The Committee on EU Affairs and sections u-letters opinion political guidance coordination proposal Finnish position EU-secretariat

COORDINATION OF EU AFFAIRS WITHIN THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT: 

COORDINATION OF EU AFFAIRS WITHIN THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT CABINET FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY COMMITTEE Chairperson: Prime Minister Secretariat: Ministry for Foreign Affairs Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU Government Secretariat for EU Affairs CABINET COMMITTEE ON EU AFFAIRS Chairperson: Prime Minister Secretariat: Government Secretariat for EU Affairs COMMITTEE FOR EU AFFAIRS Ministries, Office of the President of the Republic, Office of the Chancellor of Justice, Bank of Finland, Province of Åland Chair: Government Secretariat for EU Aff. EU SECTIONS (40) PARLIAMENT MINISTRIES (13)

Ministries -Permanent Representation - EU Secretariat: 

Ministries - Permanent Representation - EU Secretariat Team work or wrestling match?

Cabinet committee on EU affairs : 

Cabinet committee on EU affairs Chair: Prime Minister Secretariat: Government Secretariat for EU affairs Meets every Friday EU ambassador attends Typical agenda items: Council meetings, European Council meetings Items of political significance, ministerial disputes The convention, IGC-issues Important CFSP/ESDP issues

Committee on EU affairs: 

Committee on EU affairs Chair: Head of Government Secretariat for EU affairs All ministries are represented Meets every Wednesday Horizontal coordination Gate-keeper of the Cabinet Committee on EU-affairs Typical items: Major EU-policy issues Ministerial disputes over policy ECJ-issues

Sections: 

Sections 40 sections, cover different sectors all ministries can participate chair: ministry in charge of the sector coordinate positions on EU issues