This book looks at the way in which the Committee of the Regions (CoR) can influence EU policy making from below, despite its relatively weak position in the decision-making process. Bringing together theoretical arguments about the central role of the formation of judgment in addition to the more conventionally emphasized expression of will, with an up-to-date account of the CoR's institutional development and activities, Simona Piattoni and Justus Schonlau make a strong case not to overlook the significance of the Committee's contribution to EU-level democracy.
Contents: Introduction: EU Democracy and the Committee of the Regions 1. Towards a Multilevel European Democracy 2. The Committee of the Regions: Competing Interpretations 3. Exercising Voice: Inter-institutional Cooperation and Rules of Procedures 4. Exerting Control: Impact Assessment and Subsidiarity Monitoring 5. The Committee of the Regions and the Debate on EU Cohesion Policy (2014-2020): Exercising Voice to Promote Territorial Cohesion 6. The Committee of the Regions and the Euro Crisis : Exerting Control on Behalf of Substate Interests Conclusion: Shaping Policy from Below and the Future of the Committee of the Regions Index