Theory and History of European Integration
History of European Integration
Lecture 1: Introduction
European integration= Catch all term for cooperation between European countries
- Usually (but not exclusively) referring to EU member states
- EU integration more the supranational form of the EU
Integration= Shared decision making
Cooperation= Working together
European (dis)integration as a dependent variable
Widening more states in EU
Deepening more competences to EU
What influences the widening & deepening:
- Actors: National governments, Political parties & Societal actors
- Actors: EU institutions
- Context: International and Socio-economic situation
History
Treaties distribution of power
- It shows the way for the years to come
Crisis when treaties don’t work
- Power relations and interests change
Theories
Scientific theories are analytical frameworks for:
- Description
- Explanation
- Prediction
XY
- Y= Dependent variable
- = theory
The question you ask, determines which theory you use
Grand theories Europe as a whole
,Lecture 2: The German Problem and the Treaties of Paris
German problem= The distribution of the balance of power in Europe
- Key question: How can Germany be in a or influence a supranational organization
- US & Britain: Future of Germany was linked to the emerging of the Cold War
- France & Smaller neighbours of Germany: How to prevent the re-emergence of a threat to their sovereign
independence from Germany itself
History
There were multiple attempts at unification before the EU:
- Caeser Roman Empire
- Napoleon Implemented bureaucracy
o 1814-1815: Congress of Vienna
Balance of power restored in Europe
Practical level: moves for European unity took the form of attempts by one nation or another to dominate Europe
through conquest
Did BoP work to maintain peace in Europe?
Balance of power= create a situation in which a power can’t start a war, without the others constitute a counter weight
and stop the attacker
19th century: GB the holder of the balance of power
- She never had an ally, except with weaker states in war
o Started the ‘you cant trust them’ mindset
Aim of BoP: It is not an idea of no conflict, but rather to maintain a conflict is it starts
- Prevent conflict from spreading so that a state would be to big to contain her
The rise of the German Problem
1870-1871: Franco-Prussian war
- Unification of Germany becoming leading European land power
- France wasn’t able to contain it WWI started
- BoP system didn’t work anymore, so another state outside of Europe was needed
Yalta conference (1945)= divide Europe at the end of the war into spheres of influence
- US & USSR were the holders of the BoP
- Divide Germany into four areas to maintain BoP
- Start of the ‘iron curtain’
o US still wanted to cooperate with the USSR
o Until USSR influenced another states sphere of influence
o Emergence of separate West and East German states became inevitable (Cold War)
BRD became an anchor against the East & DDR became an anchor against the West
Ability as an European state to start ECSC, because of an outside power that provided security
Answer to German problem:
1, ‘Temporary’ partitioning of Germany
2. Non-European holders of the balance of power
3. Spheres of influence
The road to a European coal & Steel community
The mood in 1949
Depression & Fear for Germany
- German Federal Republic was set up and a new approach was needed
Partitioning of Germany was not sufficient esp for France
- How to organize Franco-German relations in such way that another war would become impossible?
- How to ensure continuing adequate supplies of coking coal from the Ruhr to France?
Weak economies need access to German resources
Allow Germany to rebuild (war) industry?
- Fear that Germany will rebuild faster than France in the war
Institutions were important !
,The ECSC – Why?
1. Nationalism has to be killed, so another war in Europe can be prevented
2. Access to each other resources needed, without abusing them or the fear of it
3. Communism had to be stopped, so Monnet worked with Schuman who both believed in FR and GR
cooperation.
The answer was European integration
The Schuman declaration
World peace is only safeguarded with the making of creative efforts to proportionate to the dangers which threaten it
You need institutions to pool the resources that could start another war
- Pooled in shared organisation, with key countries France & Germany
- Common High Authority that will be supranational
- Surrender sovereignty over the coal and steel industries
Coal and steel because:
- It is very feasible
- It was a key factor in the German rearmament
- It was a key factor in reconstruction of Europe
- It was a big earn industry for Germany, which made Nazi-Germany possible
- France needed coal from Germany, but there was control needed because other way it would become a war
Monnet: Let’s start with this and then work further
Differences Intergovernmentalism & Supranationalism
Intergovernmentalism Supranationalism
Who takes decisions? National governments (states Supranational institutions (above state
retain full control) level)
When are decisions Only with unanimity of member Binding on all member states, even
binding? states without unanimity
Who is in charge of Member states are responsible for Supranational authority oversees
implementation and enforcing decisions within their implementation and ensures
compliance? borders compliance
Which interests are served? National interests and individual Collective interests of the union as a
member states whole
- Problem intergovernmentalism: Many rules has to be implemented by the states, there isn’t a higher arbiter
- Interests of states are better served in intergovernmentalism because of the possibility to veto
Why did it require a supranational organization?
1. Commitment: Neutral third party that functions as an arbiter
2. Compliance: Court was needed as well as a higher authority
3. Efficiency: Same data needed to make decisions
National positions of the ECSC
France:
- Coal supply was needed, for economic recovery
- Restored German economy was needed for their own recovery
o But without mobilization and fear for their army
- US would enforce compliance as a neutral third party
o Spheres of influence
o Cooperation between GR and FR without the fear of war
o Security dilemma= a situation in which actions taken by a state to increase its own security lead to
increased insecurity for other states
Increasing German economy Increasing fear of German rearmament
Germany:
- European policy of Ardenauer:
o Commitment to his own ideal of European integration
o Franco-German reconciliation
o Federal Republic needed to gain international acceptance
, Strong commitment to the capital West
o Gelichberechtigung= To be a state gain and be able to stand up and gain national interests
get rid of IAR Ruhr should be unchained from restrictiond
o Afraid of USSR influence in DDR would damage the vitality of German culture
- Window of opportunity
o Kanzlerdemokratie= powerful chancellor
o US guaranteed France would not take advantage
USA:
- US leadership in Europe to make sure it wouldn’t become communist
- Strengthen North-Atlantic cooperation
- Make sure Europe wouldn’t start another war
- USA needed Europe (especial West-Germany) as potential ally in the Korean war
o Marshall plan
UK:
- Does support it, but not a member
o WWII was fought as an national war, not an European war
o World power with global responsibilities (‘delusion of grandeur’)
o Common Wealth: UK still had a considerable empire
o UK economy was stronger than other Western European states, which makes the linking dangerous
BeNeLux (Netherlands):
- They could not afford to stay out of any agreement between France and Germany on coal and steel
o These commodities were essential to the economies of the three states
o High degree of interdependence
- Lukewarm (NL)= desire for peace & recovery + fear of Franco-German domination Intergovernmental
Council of ministers
Institutions in Luxembourg
High Authority (European Commission):
- Headed by Monnet
- Funded through direct taxation of industries (coal and steel)
Council of Ministers: National ministers
- Consent on non-C&S issues
Parliamentary Assembly: National MP’s
- Consultation
- Dismiss High Authority
Court of Justice
- Rules on legality of High Authority’s actions
- Supranational organization needs a judge
o Afraid that HA would take to much power strong independent court
o Miscalculation court was to keep HA in check, but kept the countries in check
Key components of the ECSC treaty
Decartelisation of German C&S industry
- Fair competition between Western European companies
- Equal access to resources
Transition to customs union for C&S
- C&S travel free
Equalisation in funds
- Smaller states wanted something too (Belgium and Italy)
o Side-payments to weaker economic parties
Gradual harmonisation (and improvement) of working conditions
1951: Treaty of Paris
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