Author Description

Scrutiny is considered as one of the most important parliamentary functions. However, it has often been assessed as inefficient because of the European integration. This volume investigates concepts of scrutiny and its different dimensions in the EU multilevel system against the background of the Lisbon treaty. Its articles give answers to the question whether the widespread concern, suggesting a general parliamental loss of influence and control, is plausible or not. A central argument in the book is that this loss is often more about a matter of functional change. Accordingly, we do not witness a decline, but an adaptation of parliamentary scrutiny to a changing environment in the EU. The volume comprises conceptual contributions on parliamentary scrutiny as well as empirical analyses on the German Bundestag, the German state parliaments, the European Parliament, and comparative studies on national parliaments in the EU as well.