Experts in power

Ministers take policy decisions in the EU, but a network of Brussels-based advisers working for national governments do the ground work. Inga Vesper explains.

Of the EU’s three governing bodies—the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers—the Council is probably the least visible to the public eye. The Council comprises national ministers and their main role is to negotiate EU agreements according to the wishes of their governments. But what few of us have insight into is the intricate and essential role that ‘permanent representations’ play in the process. Permanent representation is Brussels-speak for embassies of member states, which are based in Brussels.

Each permanent representation has experts and working groups assigned to different policy fields. Dedicated staff, ranging from a few dozen in smaller representations to nearly 100 for the larger countries, work on behalf of member states to make sure their interests are heard and, where possible, protected in policy decisions. It is not uncommon for these experts to be head-hunted from national ministries or Commission departments.