Comitology

The term ‘comitology’ refers to the set of procedures through which the European Commission exercises the implementing powers conferred on it by the EU legislator, with the assistance of committees of representatives from EU countries. Such comitology committees are chaired by a Commission official and give an opinion on implementing acts proposed by the Commission.

Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 lays down the general principles concerning mechanisms for control by EU countries of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers. It put into practice Article 291 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) on implementing acts.

Under the Regulation, the committees use two types of procedures:

• examination and
• advisory.

The choice of procedure for a committee is made by the EU legislator, and depends on the nature of the implementing powers that are laid out in the basic regulation, directive or decision.

Source: EUR Lex Glossary of summaries