Expert group institutionalization and task expansion in European education policy-making

Abstract

The role of expertise has been considered as an important feature in EU governance processes, not least in the context of soft governance and policy coordination. This article focuses on how an advisory group can, over a short period of time, acquire a high degree of stability and legitimacy in a sector where joint action falls under the subsidiarity principle, and joint policy coordination on a European level has traditionally been difficult. With the introduction of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in 2008, an expert group (European Qualifications Framework Advisory Group, EQFAG) was created to support the national processes. From being established as a temporary expert group it became an informal advisory group in the area of lifelong learning, bridging the European and national levels in terms of debates for future action.