We are glad to welcome Dr Maria Patrin from the University of Florence to present her recent book Collegiality in the European Commission – Legal Substance and Institutional Practice, which came out in 2023 with Oxford University Press.

Collegiality is a core legal principle of the European Commission’s internal decision-making, acting as a safeguard to the Commission’s supranational character and ensuring the Commission’s independence. Despite collegiality’s central role within the Commission, its legal and political implications have remained critically underexamined. Collegiality in the European Commission sheds light on this crucial aspect of the Commission’s work for the first time, looking at both the legal framework and the practice of collegiality.

The book’s first part legally examines collegiality, retracing collegial procedures and actors in different layers of decision-making — from the Commission’s services to the College of Commissioners. The second part of the book explores the implementation of collegiality through illustrative case studies, focusing on various Commission functions including legislative initiative, infringement proceedings, and economic governance.

About Maria Patrin: Maria Patrin, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Florence, brings a wealth of experience to her research. She has served as a Research Associate at the Academy of European Law and the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies of the EUI. Dr. Patrin obtained her PhD from the European University Institute in 2020 and holds a M.A. from the College of Europe. Prior to her academic career, she worked in private practice in Brussels.

Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday 14 May
• Time: 12:30-13:30
• Title: Book Launch Event: “Collegiality in the European Commission – Legal Substance and Institutional Practice”
• Guest: Maria Patrin, Research Fellow and Lecturer at the University of Florence
• Where: Kant room, IEE-ULB

Registration is free, but mandatory. If you wish to participate, thank you for sending an email to Alix Bullman (alix.bullman@ulb.be).