Absolute Gains Are Still Gains: Why the European Commission Is a Winner of the Crisis, and Unexpectedly So. A Rejoinder to Eugénia da Conceição-Heldt

Abstract

Eugénia da Conceição-Heldt’s sophisticated comment on our analysis of the European Commission’s role in economic governance notwithstanding, we stand by our conclusion that the Commission emerges as an ‘unexpected winner’ from the current crisis. It wins by significantly gaining competences in absolute terms — and unexpectedly so, given the constant murmur about the Commission being in decline. We agree, however, that further research is needed to fully grasp the complex institutional implications of the still ongoing crisis for the Commission.

Key words:

• European Commission
• economic governance
• euro crisis
• intergovernmentalism
• supranationalism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. In this comment, we use the singular term ‘crisis’ when referring to the financial, economic, and monetary crises that have occurred in the European Union since 2008.

2. While it is easy to compare supervisory tasks within one specific field, it would, for instance, be difficult to compare supervision of the financial sector to the Commission’s role in economic policy surveillance.