Changing Forms of Interactions between the European Commission and Interest Groups: The Case of Religious Lobbying

Abstract

Church organizations are engaged in a constant dialogue with the European Commission. The Commission saw this interaction as part of its wider framework of consultations with third parties, based on an open and all-inclusive understanding of participation. On the other hand, Church groups pressed for a more systematic and institutionalized dialogue, based on the special characteristics of Church associations. This article looks at how the dialogue between the European Commission and Church organizations has evolved throughout the years and assesses to what extent it is emblematic of the overall evolution of the framework of interactions between the Commission and interest groups. It concludes that the recent emphasis on the dialogue with Church groups in the Constitution and the Lisbon Treaty can be seen as a sign of changing patterns of interaction. The open, horizontal, soft-instrument based dialogue seems to be evolving towards a more institutionalized, partner-specific and instrument-based interaction.

Key Words:

• Church interest groups
• Commission
• EU
• formalization
• third party consultations

Notes

1. The European Community is party to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters since 2005. This basically means that a set of rights securing public access to environmental information and public participation in the drawing up of certain environmental plans and programmes had to be set up via EU-level legislation.

2. The Forward Studies Unit (FSU) was a sort of ‘in-house think tank’ directly resorting under the Presidential office, established to investigate future areas of interest for the Union. It was also responsible for the dialogue between the EU and religious communities. For a more elaborate analysis of FSU and religion, see Silvestri (2009).

3. The EECCS or European Ecumenical Commission for Church and Society was between 1979 and 1999 the Protestant representation. It became part of the Conference of European Churches as Church and Society Commission.