Expert Groups as an Uncertain Resource

In an area where Member States have so far been prominent, the use of expert committees by the Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom, and Security is marked by a concern for institutional positioning. These groups function as a resource for facilitating involvement in new policy fields or acceptance of proposals by the Council of Europe. This strategic use is visible in the profiles of valued experts. However, the functioning of these groups also reveals the weaknesses of the European Commission, which circumvents states uneasily and does not have the means to control the committees.