But what exactly does the directive say? : the role of EU acquis experts in industrial relations

Abstract

In autumn 2000, a team of 'three wise men' was engaged by the European Commission to examine the human rights record of Austria's political establishment, and particularly the behaviour of its ruling coalition. It was then clear that a neat solution had been found to end Austria's political isolation in Western Europe, stop the increasing resentment against the EU among Austrian citizens, and thus save the EU from further embarrassment. Irrespective of the details of a much publicized case, this was yet another example of the often unclear dynamics between expertise and political incumbents in crafting policy at a European level. On this particular occasion, experts had been deployed to legitimise a U-turn in political strategy. Thus the experts, in less than 1000 words, provided the objective and independent assessment to corroborate and recommend a particular course of political action, which (not coincidentally) was exactly the one being, not quite silently, contemplated.