Committee Decision-Making in the European Union: between Legitimacy and Efficiency

When picturing policy-making in the European Union (EU), we usually think of national mini _ sters and commis� ioners bargaining over a proposal in the Council building in Brussels or Members of the Europ� an Parhament (EP) d� batmg � nd voting in the plenary of the EP in Strasbourg. And indeed, these phenomena are � ssenhal parts of the _ E? pohcy-�akmg process. However, a reduction of the process to these features risks missing other important char� ct�nshcs. In par _ h� ular, a focus on the voting and bargaining _be�avior of high-level p _ lay� rs like Members � f the EP, C�mm_ 1ss1� ners, and _ Mm1sters in the Council overlooks the potenhal mfluence of the bod1es m charge of most day-to-day leg1slahve work m the EU, namely committees. EU committees come in all sorts and shapes and play vi� al roles in all stages of t�e ��licy cycle. �ocalled 'comitology' committees assist the Commission in implementi _ ng EU pohcy and expert groups � dv1se 1t _ m formul� ting legislative proposals. These legislative proposals are subsequently d1scussed and _ amended b! the EP s stand1� g comm1ttees and by the working parties in the Council. The influential roles of these comm1ttees pose important queshons about the legitimacy and efficiency of EU policy-makin

Turning-On of Coumarin Phosphorescence in Acetylacetonato Platinum Complexes of Cyclometalated Pyridyl-Substituted Coumarins

Two pyridine-functionalized coumarins differing with respect to the site of pyridine attachment to the coumarin dye (3 in L1 or 7 in L2) and with respect to the presence (L1) or absence (L2) of a peripheral NMe2 donor were prepared and used as cyclometalating ligands towards the Pt(acac) fragment. X-ray crystal structures of complexes 1 and 2 show strong intermolecular interactions by π-stacking and short Pt∙∙∙Pt or C-H∙∙∙O hydrogen bonding that result in the formation of sheetlike packing patterns. The NMe2 donor substituent has a profound influence on the absorption and emission properties of the free coumarin dyes; L1 emits strongly while L2 is only weakly emissive. On binding to Pt(acac) the strong fluorescence of L1 is partially quenched while coumarin phosphorescence is observed from cyclometalated L1 and L2. The ligand-centered nature of the LUMO was confirmed by IR spectroelectrochemistry while the assignment of the phosphorescence emission as ligand-based rests on the vibrational structuring, the negligible solvatochromism, the small temperature-induced Stokes shifts on cooling to 77 K, the emission lifetimes, and strong oxygen quenching. (TD-)DFT calculations confirm our experimental results and provide an assignment of the electronic transitions and the spin density distributions in the T1 state

California sea lions interfere with striped marlin hunting behaviour in multi-species predator aggregations

Hansen MJ, Kurvers RHJM, Licht M, et al. California sea lions interfere with striped marlin hunting behaviour in multi-species predator aggregations. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B : Biological Sciences. 2023;378(1878): 20220103.The open ocean offers a suite of ecological conditions promoting the occurrence of multi-species predator aggregations. These mixed predator aggregations typically hunt large groups of relatively small and highly cohesive prey. However, the mechanisms and functions of these mixed predator aggregations are largely unknown. Even basic knowledge of whether the predator species' interactions are mutualistic, commensal or parasitic is typically missing. Moreover, recordings of attack and capture rates of marine multi-species predator aggregations, which are critical in understanding how and why these interactions have evolved, are almost completely non-existent owing to logistical challenges. Using underwater video, we quantified the attack and capture rates of two high-trophic level marine predators, California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and striped marlin (Kajikia audax) attacking schools of fishes in the Southern California Current System, offshore the Baja California Peninsula. Recording over 5000 individual attacks across 13 fish schools, which varied in species, size and predator composition, we found that sea lions kleptoparasitized striped marlin hunts and reduced the frequency of marlin attacks and captures via interference competition. We discuss our results in the context of the phenotypic differences between the predator species and implications for a better understanding of multi-species predator aggregations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Mixed-species groups and aggregations: shaping ecological and behavioural patterns and processes'

Lacunae rostralis A new structure on the rostrum of sailfish Istiophorus platypterus

Recent comparative studies of billfishes Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae have provided evidence of differences in the form and function of the rostra bill among species. Here, we report the discovery of a new structure, lacuna rostralis, on the rostra of sailfish Istiophorus platypterus, which is absent on the rostra of swordfish Xiphias gladius, striped marlin Kajikia audax and blue marlin Makaira nigricans. The lacunae rostralis are small cavities that contain teeth. They were found on the ventral rostrum surface of all I. platypterus specimens examined and dorsally in half of them. Ventrally, the lacunae rostralis were most prominent in the mid section of the rostrum. Dorsally, they occurred closer to the tip. The density of lacunae rostralis increased towards the rostrum tip but, because they are smaller in size, the percentage of rostrum coverage decreased. The teeth located within the lacunae rostralis were found to be different in size, location and orientation from the previously identified micro teeth of billfish. We propose two potential functions of the lacunae rostralis that both relate to the use of the bill in feeding mechanoreception of prey before tapping it with the bill and more efficient prey handling via the creation of suction, or physical gri

The Evolution of Legislative Power-Sharing in the EU Multilevel System

While governance in multilevel systems involves many processes, legislation at the upper jurisdictional level is at its core. The lower levels of jurisdiction are represented at the upper level through a second legislative chamber. The exact competences of the second versus the first chamber are indicative of the degree of integration of a multilevel system. This chapter explores the evolution of the relationship of the two chambers in the European Union: the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. The authors develop an empirical approach to evaluate the gradual change of their relative legislative influence. The Consultation, Cooperation and Codecision II procedures are analysed for the period from 1976–2009, covering the most important changes. Parliament has clearly gained influence on legislation through Cooperation and, most prominently, Codecision II. Whereas a unanimous Council could mostly have its will in Consultation, Parliament and Council are on equal footing in Codecision II.publishe

Lacunae rostralis: A new structure on the rostrum of sailfish Istiophorus platypterus

Recent comparative studies of billfishes (Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae) have provided evidence of differences in the form and function of the rostra (bill) among species. Here, we report the discovery of a new structure, lacuna rostralis, on the rostra of sailfish Istiophorus platypterus, which is absent on the rostra of swordfish Xiphias gladius, striped marlin Kajikia audax and blue marlin Makaira nigricans. The lacunae rostralis are small cavities that contain teeth. They were found on the ventral rostrum surface of all I. platypterus specimens examined and dorsally in half of them. Ventrally, the lacunae rostralis were most prominent in the mid-section of the rostrum. Dorsally, they occurred closer to the tip. The density of lacunae rostralis increased towards the rostrum tip but, because they are smaller in size, the percentage of rostrum coverage decreased. The teeth located within the lacunae rostralis were found to be different in size, location and orientation from the previously identified micro-teeth of billfish. We propose two potential functions of the lacunae rostralis that both relate to the use of the bill in feeding: mechanoreception of prey before tapping it with the bill, and more efficient prey handling via the creation of suction, or physical grip