6533b82ffe1ef96bd1295ad2
RESEARCH PRODUCT
On Trojan Horses and revolving doors: Assessing the autonomy of national officials in the European Commission
Jarle TrondalJarle TrondalZuzana MurdochZuzana MurdochBenny GeysBenny Geyssubject
Sociology and Political Sciencemedia_common.quotation_subjectCommissionPublic administrationTrojanLawMember stateDoorsEuropean commissionSociologyBureaucracyRevolving doorAutonomymedia_commondescription
National officials working in international bureaucracies regularly invoke the fear that member states strategically use such officials for influencing decision making and agenda-setting to their advantage. This article theoretically analyses conditions under which the autonomy of national civil servants in international bureaucracies might become compromised. The ensuing predictions are then tested using a unique survey among seconded national experts (SNEs) in the European Commission (N ≈ 400). Finally, evaluating the characteristics linked to reduced autonomy among SNEs in the Commission, the article illustrates that these officials are, in practice, likely to be relatively independent from member state influence.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-12-29 | European Journal of Political Research |