Passed in first sitting!
Summary of the Institutions and Policy of the European Union handbook, lectures and slides by professor Wouter Wolfs (KUL)
Includes a comprehensive summary of the handbook, all lectures and accompanying slides. Chapters 1, 5 to 11, chapters 13 and 15 are typed out and ...
Bye Simon! Thanks for the great score! I hope my summary has helped you a lot!
Seller
Follow
ElleWoods2709
Reviews received
Content preview
Samenvatting: European Politics
Dr. Wouter Wolfs
Boek: The European Union: Politics & Policies (Jonathan Olsen)
Institutions and Policy of the European Union
Introduction and Political Geography
European Politics?
1. Institutions and Policy of the European Union
Focus on institutions, decision-making processes and policies = situation since Treaty
of Lisbon (2009)
4 credits
2. European Integration since 1945
Focus on the history of the process of integration = process until the Treaty of Lisbon
(2009)
2 credits
To distinguish = onderscheiden
To estimate = inschatten
Exam
- One examination (date) for both components: 2/3 < Institutions & Policy and 1/3 < European
integration since 1945
- Closed-book, written exam
- Questions: both knowledge & understanding (+ link with topical issues in EU)
Topical issues = Actuele kwesties
- Language: examination questions are in English, your answers can be in Dutch (or English)
Classes until Friday 28/4/2023
Topical issues, like Qatargate
Is the European Parliament really lacking transparency?
- Reforms in the wake of the “Cash-for-amendments” scandal (2011)
- Transparency Register
o Requirement for lobbyists to register
o Detailed overview of budget and personnel
o Employ 10-15 people to lobby the EU-institutions
o (Commissioners only meet registered lobbyists)
Not the case of the European Parlement
o BUT: no third countries (for example: Qatar or Morocco)
o BUT: quid assistants?
Does not have to be registered
- Legislative “footprint”
o List of interest representatives that MEP met in preparation of legislative file
o BUT: not for other MEPs
Is it wrong for MEPs to submit amendments they received from interest representatives?
1
, - Code of Conduct for MEPs (Guiding principles)
- They need to insert the ‘Declaration of Financial Interests’
- Main problem = enforcement
o Responsibility of EP President after consulting Advisory Committee
The Political Geography of Europe & “Mental Maps”
Why are different maps of Europe important?
o Official map of the European Union is only one side of the story
o Multitude of maps exist about the political geography of Europe
o Maps are not neutral: they contain normative motives and aspirations and specific
interpretations of the present (“mental maps”)
Maps can help to explain:
o Relations and attitudes between member states and/or populations
o Political dynamics and tensions within and between countries
o How we think ourselves about Europe and European integration (self- reflexion)
Example: 2 maps
- Focus on Poland
- Didn’t want to take any refugees at first, but during time (war in Ukraine and all their
implications/consequentions) made Poland take them
- Some countries took many, some almost none
The past of the European Union is an important explanation for the present of the European Union
1957 < 1973 < 1981 < 1986 < 1990 < 1995 < 2004 < 2007 < 2013 < 2020
Path dependency: decisions of the past have implications for the future
Important for decision-making
Joining the EU < Sometimes for logistical, sometimes for logical reasons
Work together to control each other
Establishment of the international market < Big role for the EU
When Greece joint, they weren’t ready (too early) + problem with state finance which led to the
collapse of Greece and almost to a collapse of the whole European market
Yanukovych (or Janoekovytsj) wins (= pro-Russia): President of Ukraine from 2010 until 2014
The European Union isn’t the only (or a coherent) manifestation of integration on the European
continent
NATO
Council of Europe
…
2
,Chapter 1: What is the European Union?
Actuality
- Visit of Biden in Poland and in Ukraine (Zelensky)
- Consequences of Russian Invasion for internal dynamics in EU?
o Is the center of power in the EU moving eastwards?
o End of French-German collaboration as “engine”” of European integration?
Engine = motor
A lot of attention for relationship between France and Germany
o Political adulthood of “new” member states in CEE
CEE = Central and Eastern Europe
Poland delivers arms to Ukraine, which makes them feel as powerful as the “old”
West-European countries (member states)
o BUT: Interests are not symmetrical (between regional partners)
Map: Coalitions or alliances – Regional groups in the European Union
o Partners in some policy fields, whereas competitors in others (they protect each other)
Whereas = terwijl
Example: Poland and Hungary
Partners: Rule of law conflict with the EU, structural funds…
Competitors: Foreign policy (vis-à-vis Russia), migration?
Mostly Hungary who are against
Different visions in Poland and Hungary
= positive for European integration – Fact that interests are oppositional (coinciding cleavages can
be disruptive)
Coinciding = samenvallend
Cleavages = splitsingen
o BUT: Hard parameters and power relations still matter
Voting rights depends on populism < Most populist countries have an advantage
Old member states (BE, FR, the Netherlands, SWE, FIN, DEN, IRE…): will grow
Eastern countries: population will slink
Expenditure for defense < What are the power relations (PL still quite limited)
Expenditure = uitgaven
Economic < Central, Western and Northern Europe = richest countries
Question of today’s lesson: “What is the European Union?”
Easy question – Difficult answer (What do we think…)
Member states have autonomy
The European Union is like an elephant
o It depends on how you look at it, which meaning/interpretation you give
o Where going to discuss different theories/concepts (or lenses) the look at the EU
Chapter overview
- How we approach the EU still depends in large part on how we think about the role of the state
- At least 5 ways to conceptualize the EU
1. An international organization
2. A regional integration association
3. A political system in its own right
4. A unique entity
5. Something that exhibits and combines all 4 of these
To exhibit = tentoonstellen
3
,- 2 broad categories of theories that analyze the EU
1. Those explaining how the EU evolved
a. Neofunctionalism
b. Intergovernmentalism
2. Those explaining what it has become
- Multi-level governance has emerged as one way to understand the EU as a political system
- Rather than being portrayed as an international organization, the EU is now increasing as a
political system in its own right
What is a state? The role of the state
States rule: make laws and enforce them
Enforce = afdwingen
States provide public goods
o Public goods: you cannot exclude people from using it = non-exclusive good & also
unlimited (Examples: climate, national security… Non-public goods: theater
tickets…)
States extract (taxes) – From society, people that life on their territories
Extract = heffen
States solve collective action problems
o You need an action that needs collaboration
o Problem because people have individual interests
o You need to collaborate, but you’re not really interested in collaboration because of
your own individual interests
o For example: Climate change (you don’t want to change your habits, but if everyone
thinks like that, the problem won’t be solved…)
Europe is a state (arguments pro and contra)
They work together to solve the problems in Ukraine-Russia, and they impose sanctions to
Russia (+)
They rule (+)
Monopoly in the use of violence (-)
Each member state extracts taxes individually (-)
“Order/Peace of Westphalia” (1648)
- Is taken as a convenient starting point of how long states have been important to an
understanding of the ways in which societies are governed < The international state system has
existed since then
- Established West Federal Order (Established = gevestigd)
- New political order (system) was established in Europe
- Based on peaceful collaboration: Brought an end to 2 European wars and resulted in many
territorial adjustments
Adjustments = aanpassingen
- Recognition that state had sovereignty of its territory
A state has 4 main characteristics:
1. Fixed and populated territory
2. Possibility to impose authority over that territory
3. Legally and politically independent
4. Recognized by its people and by other states
Sovereignty = “supreme” authority over a territory and its population (Supreme = opperste)
4
, State
o Political-legal unit defined by territory and by laws
o A legal and physical entity that operates within a fixed and populated territory, has
authority over that territory, is legally and politically independent and is recognized
by its people and by other states
o Institutional basis
Nation
o A group of people defined by shared identity or culture based on language, ethnicity,
religion etc.
o Difference nation & ethnic group
Ethnic group: a group of people who share a heritage, common language,
culture (often including religion) and can discuss shared ancestry
Heritage = erfenis
Nations (more political): unified by a sense of purpose to control the territory
that the members of the group believe to be theirs.
Unified = verenigd
Nation-state
o Sovereign states in which a majority of the population is united based in factors that
define a nation
Limitations of the concept state
Nationalism: state should be based on a “nation”
o National superiority, ethnocentrism, racism and genocide
o Tensions between states
International cooperation to overcome tensions + promote cooperation
o Manifestation: International organizations and/or international treaties (= voluntary
cooperation)
o Example: United Nations
o Core aspect = a treaty (Core = kern)
Integration Collaboration
Collaboration Integration
Member states decide to achieve certain goals The authority to take decisions is transferred to
together by taking joint measures, but the a higher (supra-)national level, so there is a
member states retain authority over the transfer of competences from the member
specific policy domain states to the EU level
Some international organizations lead to integration
Integration
= transfer by states of (parts of) sovereignty
= pooling of authority in specific policy areas and the creation of common institutions with
restricted powers (delegation)
≠ The total surrender of their own separate legal, political, economic, social and national
identities (= assimilation)
5
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller ElleWoods2709. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $12.26. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
