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Summary European Public Policy
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Summary of week 1, 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10 of the European Public Policy course. A number of important parts have been highlighted.
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European Public PolicySummary
WEEK 1
What is the European Identity?
There is not just one identity of Europe. Therefore, we talk about different identities of Europe in
different contexts.
There are European cultural spheres, such as the sphere of football (ex. Champions League, European
Championships) and the European Song Festival.
Europe is a geographical entity, but the geographical, political and ethnic borders are debatable. To
the south, west and north there are marked coastlines, but there is no border to the east. Is Russia
part of Europe? Turkey? Israel? Where does Europe end? There is also a distinguishment between
the borders of Europe and the borders of the European Union.
Europe is definitely not a culture or a language, Europe is divided and it is difficult to create or even
have a European identity. Different languages, cultures, history and symbols prevent a broader sense
of European identity.
There have been many attempts, such as the slogan “United in Diversity”, the European passport, the
European flag, Ode to Joy, European Commission, etc., but European citizenship does not (yet)
replace national citizenship.
So, Europe is a geographical entity, a cultural sphere and, above all, it is some kind of political system.
What are the three Ps?
The three Ps describe the three different ideals in the phases of the European integration project.
The end of the 2nd World War marked the beginning of a new Europe. European integration started
after the Second World War to preserve peace in Europe. Europe wanted to be united in order to end
war.
In the 70s, 80s and definitely the 90s, the EU mainly made rules and regulations. There was much
optimism for Europe. After the end of the Cold War, the spirit of these times was to live peacefully in
a united Europe, forever. It was a time of prosperity.
However, the world looks different from the 90s. There is not much trust in the US anymore (Trump).
Russia is back after the Cold War, and the rise of China is also something that has definitely changed
the global power structure. The EU is facing a sort of identity crisis about what sort of power they
need to be on the global stage.
So, the European ideals shifted from Peace, to Prosperity, to Power.
What is the shift in EU policy making since the 90s?
,In the 90s, the EU mainly made rules and regulations. However, in the last 10 years there have been
crises and big events, such as COVID19, Brexit and the immigration crisis. So, now the EU mainly
makes policies around events. The recent developments have made EU policy making shift from rules
and regulations to dealing with crises and events.
WEEK 2
What is the EU?
For the EU, scholars and scientists use the term Multi-Level Regulation. The EU is a unique hybrid
with features of a Federal State and features of an International Organization. The EU has a
supranational government, the European Commission. It has exclusive powers over certain policy
areas, such as trade and the Euro. In addition, it has a directly elected supranational parliament, the
EP, that functions as a legislator. These are all features of a Federal State.
But, it is also an IO. It has an intergovernmental institution that is increasingly becoming very
powerful, the European Council. It also has an intergovernmental legislator, the Council of Ministers,
where each member state has one vote. Lastly, it has power in many policy areas with the Member
States (defense, security).
Therefore, the EU is a unique hybrid of a Federal State and an International Organization, also called
a Multi-Level Regulation.
What is functionalism and neofunctionalism?
The main idea of functionalism is the functional spillover effect, which means that if you start to
integrate or cooperate on one level or are, it will spillover into other areas. For instance, the
European member states needed each other for pooling coal and steel, but because of that you also
need to think about exchange rates. Pooling coal and steel policy results in pressure to extend
authority to neighboring policy areas. By integrating in one sector, you will need to integrate in other
sectors.
There is functional and political spillover.
Ex. of a functionalist is Robert Schuman. He believed that Europe will not be built according to a
single plan, but achievements that create solidarity.
Most important argument for a neofunctionalist:
We have a European Commission, and a European President, who stands for European, not national,
interests. MPs stand for European interests, as well (even though some don’t…).
Neofunctionalists are in favor of European Integration out of European interest.
, What is Intergovernmentalism?
Intergovernmentalists have a rather pessimist worldview, so they see humans as self-centered and
egoistic.
Nation states are self-centered
Governments have interests, engage in power games, trigger and provoke conflicts
Competitive
Not the development of functions are relevant, but the state is central (the government)
(Similar to realism)
They see the EU as a collaboration, but a collaboration between states that are only looking
for their own nation state and benefit.
Strong agency of actors. The actors are governments of states.
They focus on the European Council (heads of states)
What is Liberal Intergovernmentalism?
90s -> Fall of communism
1993, Treaty of Maastricht
So there was a lot of enthusiasm for the EU
Controversially argued that renewed EU integration (the enthusiasm in the 1990s) was not
functionalism, but revised intergovernmental power and preferences of member states.
After communism had fallen, there was only liberalism left. The EU was beneficial for states
that wanted to earn money (one big market)
To put in other words: In a global, liberal, capitalist world it is beneficial for the states of
Europe to integrate. Not out of spillover (invisible land), or idealism, but self-interest.
In practice: States bargain in Brussels for national self-interest, which results in European
integration.
So it’s a bit of a combination of Neofunctionalism and Intergovernmentalism. It favors integration
(neofunctionalism), but unlike the neofunctionalists it’s all out of state-interest.
(intergovernmentalism)
WEEK 3
What was the end of European Supremacy in Global Affairs and what did it cause?
World War I was a massive suicide for Europe, the continent was destroyed. World War I could be
considered as the (first) end of European Supremacy in Global Affairs. It took a second world war to
finally define the position of Europe in the rest of the world. After World War II many great cities
were ruined and Europe was in hands of the 2 big powers of the bipolar world now (SU & US). This
was the end of European Supremacy in Global Affairs. It was also the first time that people with
influence wanted to create some kind of European unity. “The red threat of the east” was felt by
many western leaders. Therefore, Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the EU, came with
the Schuman declaration which became a structure for the Coal and Steel Community (1951).
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