Ongoing research both maps and analyses distinct political, administrative and economic actors operating in the EU context. These include the European Commission, EU agencies, (comitology) committees, the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European External Action Service, and the ECB, as well as networks of national agencies and courts, as well as national executives and parliaments.

Some overarching questions that guide the ongoing research include: What are the roles and practices of these actors? How significant are evolving internal rules as well as inter-institutional agreements, practices and conventions? Are the principles of legality, openness, participation, accountability, democratic representation and ‘good administration’ reflected in the normative changes occurring in the EU’s evolving constitutional order? How could these principles be adapted to match these normative changes, to ensure adequate legal guarantees? What are the ‘real world’ practices of accountability, participation and democratic representation and how are these evolving?