COREPER
Every member state has a permanent representation of civil servants in Brussels. This representation is led by an Ambassador to the EU who is called the Permanent Representative.
The ambassadors (COREPER II) and their substitutes/representatives (COREPER I) meet in COREPER to prepare all Council decisions.
COREPER controls 300 working groups under the Council. In these groups the adoption of some 85% of all EU legislation effectively takes place, to be formally approved without discussion at Council meetings. Only 15% or so are actually discussed or negotiated in the Council.
Notes
- COREPER II deals with Foreign and Security policy, Development, Finance and Economic policies, Police and Judicial Co-operation, and Budget and Institutional issues.
- COREPER I deals with the Internal Market, sectoral policies, etc.
- There is also a special committee for agriculture, the CSA.
- The Lisbon Treaty has a special article on COREPER in Art. 240 TFEU.
Links
http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/coreper_en.htm
