The European Commission is an influential actor in EU policy making. Not only does it formally have a sole right of legislative initiative but it also supplies a range of soft instruments aimed at generating debate, offering scientific evidence or presenting the views of the public and organised interests. Even if other institutions might partially constrain its leeway of action, the powerful role of the Commission yields a systematic analysis of issue selection within it necessary. Therefore, this paper aims to provide the first comprehensive overview of the thematic agenda of the Commission in a long-term perspective and reflect on the mechanisms behind its composition. In particular it focuses on the questions what determines issue prioritisation by the Commission, how the types of documents it produces across policy areas relate to one another, and what accounts for patterns of stability and change on the agenda.
