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From Summitry to EU Government: An Agenda Formation Perspective on the European Council

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  • Marcello Carammia
  • Sebastiaan Princen
  • Arco Timmermans

Abstract

While some observers have claimed that the European Council has become the key institution in European Union politics, others have argued that the Council's role has remained relatively stable over time. In this article, we argue that an analysis of agenda formation dynamics in the European Council may help us understand better how the European Council works and how its role has evolved over time. Building on theories of agenda‐setting, we identify two ideal‐typical modes of agenda formation: selective targeting and routine monitoring. Based on a comprehensive dataset of coded European Council Conclusions in the period 1975–2011, we show that the substantive content of the European Council agenda shows little change over time. However, in terms of agenda formation dynamics, we find a marked shift toward routine monitoring of issues. This supports the claim that the European Council is developing into the EU's de facto government.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcello Carammia & Sebastiaan Princen & Arco Timmermans, 2016. "From Summitry to EU Government: An Agenda Formation Perspective on the European Council," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 809-825, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:54:y:2016:i:4:p:809-825
    DOI: 10.1111/jcms.12346
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Austė Vaznonytė, 2020. "The rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU – Still an agenda-setter?," European Union Politics, , vol. 21(3), pages 497-518, September.
    3. Eliska Ullrichova, 2023. "Issue Hierarchization in Agenda‐Setting: The Case of the European Council Agenda," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(1), pages 108-123, January.

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