The impact of Juncker's reorganization of the European Commission on the internal policy-making process: Evidence from the Energy Union project

Abstract

Using illustrations from Energy Union-related legislative initiatives, this article argues that organizational reforms have led to a more top-down approach in the steering of the European Commission, allowing Commission President Juncker a more centralized internal leadership than his predecessor Barroso. Interviews with EU policy-makers revealed two main findings. First, the new filter functions of the seven Vice-Presidents and the Secretariat-General have contributed to a more top-down policy formulation process. Second, horizontal coordination has been improved by the implementation of project teams, and by the abolition of a separate Commissioner for Climate Action. Consequently, the level of ambition of the Commission's policy agenda now depends more than in the past on the Commission President's priorities.