Trilogues have become ‘normal’ structures in EU decision-making but their functioning, based on secluded decision-making, makes it difficult to understand how institutional positions are formed and managed and which actors are better positioned to influence policy outputs. Therefore, this paper focuses on preparatory bodies preceding trilogues and the role they play in building institutional positions and mediating political conflict. Based on actor-centred institutionalism, the paper explores two bodies used to prepare inter-institutional negotiations, namely the ‘Groupe de relations interinstitutionelle’ (GRI) as well as the ‘shadow meetings’ in the EP. These bodies have been largely overseen in the literature, but they have become key fora in which institutional actors form their positions and start mediating intra- and inter-institutional political conflict. To this effect, the paper uses ethnographic data provided by participant observation and elite interviews in order to explore processes that take place behind closed doors. We aim thus to provide a better understanding of who the key ‘relais actors’ in trilogues are and whether particular actors have become outsiders unable to participate fully in EU decision-making.
