June 1, 2009 
Author: Iordan Gheorghe Bărbulescu
Abstract: The EU decision-making process is the key which offers answers to issues related to the nature of the EU organization, participation of the supranational actors and the role of the state and/or professional organization and interests groups in adopting normative acts or other decisions of major importance for the European Union. The paper explicitly presents the responsibilities exercised by the European Commission, Council of the European Union and the permanent representatives of the EU member states within the decision-making process. Their responsibilities are analyzed using a double perspective: Treaty provisions and participation in advancing proposals and the correlation with the member states and interest groups interests. The European Commission-Council dialogue is analyzed in the light of the role of the ECof elaborating normative act projects. The role of the European Commission which plays the role of the EU executive is highlighted by examining the competences attributed through EU treaties.
Keywords: COREPER, Council, decision making, European Commission, European Union