Table 1

Did the EP want to receive information and did the Presidency give it?

  Forum (EP) Actor (Presidency)
  Present as an institution? Reported to the EP?
Maastricht 12/12/91 Yes Yes
BSE 6/6/96 Yes Yes
BSE 19/6/96 Yes Yes
BSE 3/7/96 Yes Yes
Amsterdam 26/6/97 Yes Yes
Haider 2/2/00 Yes Yes
Haider 14/6/00 No: Question time Yes
Haider 3/7/00 No Yes
Prestige 18/12/02 Yes Yes
Constitution 31/3/04 Yes Yes
Constitution 21/7/04 Yes Yes

Table 2

Debate: Did the forum demand accountability?

  Used time efficiently? Clear about what they wanted to know?
Maastricht 12/12/91 Yes Yes
BSE 6/6/96 No No. Council was not held to account for BSE
BSE 19/6/96 Yes No. Focus was on political problems, not BSE
BSE 3/7/96 Yes Reasonably
Amsterdam 26/6/97 Yes Yes. Sharp
Haider 2/2/00 Yes Reasonably
Haider 14/6/00 Yes Yes. Very sharp (Question Time)
Haider 3/7/00 Yes Yes
Prestige 18/12/02 No Yes. Sharp
Constitution 31/3/04 Reasonably Yes
Constitution 21/7/04 Yes Moderately

Table 3

Debate - To what extent was the actor forthcoming in giving accountability?

Present and listened Made closing statement on selected case Mentioned central issues raised by forum Answered central issues raised by forum If applicable, accepted responsibility for failures
Maastricht 12/12/91 Yes. PM Lubbers left after spokespersons Dankert stays Yes PM: Partly. Other: Almost all PM: Very evasive. Other: Partly No
BSE 6/6/96 May have left at a certain point No n.a. n.a. n.a.
BSE 19/6/96 Temporarily left during debate BSE not mentioned n.a. n.a. n.a.
BSE 3/7/96 Yes. PM Prodi left after spokespersons Dini stayed PM: Yes. Other: 1 sentence PM: 2 out of 3. Other: n.a. PM: Evasive. Other: n.a. PM: No. Other: n.a.
Amsterdam 26/6/97 Yes. Both PM Kok and Patijn whole debate Yes Yes Yes, almost completely. Explicit. High level of precision Yes. Acknowledged shortcomings
Haider 2/2/00 May have left at a certain point No Yes, already in opening statement Yes, already in opening statement Forum positive: n.a.
Haider 14/6/00 Yes n.a. (Question time-format) Yes Yes, eventually explicitly Yes. Took responsibility. Did not give in on demands forums
Haider 3/7/00 Yes Yes Yes Yes, almost Yes. Took explicitly full responsibility for consequences decision
Prestige 18/12/02 Yes Yes Partly Hardly No
Constitution 31/3/04 Yes Yes Almost all Yes Forum positive: n.a.
Constitution 21/7/04 Yes Yes Did not deal with criticism Evasive Forum positive: n.a.

Table 4

Was the forum able to pass a judgement that did justice to the previous debate?

Passed a judgement?
Maastricht 12/12/91 No, attempt failed. EP and political groups were too divided
BSE 6/6/96 Yes, more focused than debate
BSE 19/6/96 Did not cover debate well
BSE 3/7/96 Part of the debate missing
Amsterdam 26/6/97 Yes. More detailed than debate
Haider 2/2/00 Yes
Haider 14/6/00 Yes, covered debate, but toned down criticism
Haider 3/7/00 No. No attempt. EP was divided
Prestige 18/12/02 Yes
Constitution 31/3/04 Yes
Constitution 21/7/04 No. Majority was satisfied. Instead, smaller political groups were rather critical

Table 5

Total contributions to accountabilityby the forum and the actor

Maastr. 91 BSE 6/6/96 BSE 19/6/96 BSE 7/96 Amst. 97 Haid. 2/00 Haid. 6/00 Haid. 7/00 Prest. 02 Const. 3/04 Const. 7/04
Forum
Information: Present? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (No: QT) No Yes Yes Yes
Debate: Efficient? Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Reasonably Yes
Debate: Sharp? Yes No No Reasonably Yes Reasonably Yes, very Yes Yes Yes Moderatly
Judgement? No, failed Yes Yes, poor Yes, poor Yes Yes Yes, toned down No Yes Yes No
contribution to accountability somewhat very little little somewhat very much much somewhat little somewhat much somewhat
Actor
Information: Reports? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Debate: Present? Yes. PM leaves Left? Left temporarily PM left Yes: both Left? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Debate: Closing statement? Yes No Not mentioned Yes: PM Yes: both No n.a. (QT) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Debate: Mentions all central issues? PM: Partly Other: Almost all n.a. n.a. PM: 2 out of 3 Other: n.a. Yes Yes in opening Yes Yes Partly Yes, almost No, omits criticism
Debate: Answers all central issues? PM: No Other: Partly n.a. n.a. PM: No Other: n.a. Yes, very Yes in opening Yes, eventually Yes, almost Hardly Yes No
Debate: Accepts responsibility? No n.a. n.a. PM: No Other: n.a. Yes, very Forum positive: n.a. Yes Yes No Forum positive: n.a. Forum positive: n.a.
contribution to accountability little very little very little very little very much somewhat much much little much little

Note to table: The actions by the forum to demand accountability and by the actor to give accountability were rated on a 5-point scale, ranging from 'very little' via 'somewhat' to 'very much'. 'Somewhat' is used as the cut-off point between a positive and negative contribution to accountability: 'somewhat' and higher scores are considered as aiding accountability.


©2009 by Marianne van de Steeg
formated and tagged by KH, 25.7.2009