The EU Accountability Index: Assessing the State of EU Executive Accountability

EU executive accountability is a major issue, both in politics and academia. The shift from national, state-based policy-making to the EU level, and the continuous expansion of executive spheres in the EU, is accompanied by a growing concern about the state of executive accountability in the complex multilevel web of European governance. However, the landscape of accountability institutions in the EU is getting denser. The establishment of new watchdogs institutions (such as an ombudsman, an anti-corruption office, ethical committees, auditors, a whistleblower protection act) and a strengthened scrutiny, points to an increased relevance of accountability and control over the executive branch. This paper has two aims. First, we will present an accountability index—an empirical tool to assess the key accountability principles and capabilities in democratic constitutional states. The accountability index is an initiative that maps specific areas, forms and arrangements of accountability. It provides a general picture of the accountability landscape based on quantitative measurements. The index consists of a series of indicators for measuring formal executive accountability, supplemented by a set of ‘practice indicators’ that provide insights into the actual operation and implementation of these formal accountability arrangements. Second, we apply the accountability index to the EU executive. The paper provides a first structured and systematic indication of the state of play of EU executive accountability. Accountability levels vary among the different executive bodies. These differences point to uneven levels of scrutiny: to both deficiencies and a plethora of accountability.