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On T rojan H orses and revolving doors: Assessing the autonomy of national officials in the E uropean C ommission
Author(s) -
Trondal Jarle,
Murdoch Zuzana,
Geys Benny
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
european journal of political research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.267
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1475-6765
pISSN - 0304-4130
DOI - 10.1111/1475-6765.12080
Subject(s) - autonomy , bureaucracy , commission , member states , state (computer science) , political science , public administration , european commission , civil servants , public relations , business , law , european union , international trade , politics , computer science , algorithm
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.