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302. Constructing a German Europe? Germany's Europe Debate Revisited
- Author:
- Timo Behr and Niklas Helwig
- Publication Date:
- 02-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Finnish Institute of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- Germany's ambiguous role during the eurozone crisis has stoked fears that a more self-confident and dynamic Germany is threatening the political independence and economic well-being of its neighbours and will lead to a “German Europe”. German weakness, not power, is the main challenge to EU integration. In order to build a supranational EU and a “European Germany”, Germans will have to overhaul their Cold War institutions and traditions that have become a brake on EU integration. Germany's political elite continues to favour a federalist vision for the EU, but faces a somewhat more sceptical public as well as strong domestic veto players, such as the Federal Constitutional Court, which limit their pro-integrationist tendency. While Germany continues to support the use of the “Community method”, Angela Merkel has increasingly resorted to the “Union method” that places function over form and prioritizes pragmatic problem-solving to address the current crisis. Germany's uncompromising attitude towards the eurozone crisis and its sometimes erratic foreign policy are the product of its deeply embedded stability culture and instinctive pacifism, rather than a sign of growing global ambitions. European partners will have to help Germany in its indispensable leadership role by jointly formulating a vision for the European integration project and by assisting Germany in adapting its political institutions and culture.
- Topic:
- Cold War, Economics, Regional Cooperation, and Financial Crisis
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Germany
303. Regulatory Quality in the European Commission and the UK: Old questions and new findings
- Author:
- Andrea Renda, Oliver Fritsch, Claudio M. Radaelli, and Lorna Schrefler
- Publication Date:
- 01-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Centre for European Policy Studies
- Abstract:
- This paper examines the quality of impact assessments in the European Commission and the United Kingdom for the period 2005-2010. We coded 477 impact assessments for the UK and 251 for the European Commission, using a detailed scorecard - adjusted to reduce the bias evidenced by previous usages of this instrument.
- Topic:
- Economics, Regional Cooperation, and Governance
- Political Geography:
- United Kingdom and Europe
304. Baltic Energy Security: Building a European Energy Future
- Author:
- Mihaela Carstei
- Publication Date:
- 06-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Historically, energy security has played a central role in shaping the national security strategy and interests of the Baltic states. The diverse challenges that exist in the region make it necessary to focus on identifying areas of cooperation between the countries as they pursue diversified oil and gas supplies.This is crucial to achieve a regional approach to the European Union's common energy security goals.
- Topic:
- Security, Economics, Energy Policy, Oil, and Regional Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Europe
305. Conventional Arms Control in Europe and Related Regional Security Concerns
- Author:
- Isabelle Francois
- Publication Date:
- 12-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Conventional arms control in Europe remains relevant more than two decades after the singing of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE). Today, it could serve as a useful vehicle for collaboration with Russia on a broad range of security issues, and productive movement forward would also do much to reassure and secure smaller NATO allies and regional partners. Ultimately, what is needed is a paradigm shift away from "mutual assured destruction" and towards a concept of "mutual assured stability."
- Topic:
- NATO, Arms Control and Proliferation, Diplomacy, Regional Cooperation, and International Security
- Political Geography:
- Russia, Europe, and Asia
306. Turkey’s South Caucasus Agenda: The Role of State and Non-State Actors
- Author:
- Aybars Görgülü and Onnik Krikorian
- Publication Date:
- 07-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
- Abstract:
- On March 2, 2012, Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF) and Turkish Economic Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) organized an international conference titled “Turkey’s South Caucasus Agenda: Roles of State and Non-State Actors” in Tbilisi, Georgia. The event brought together analysts, diplomats and decision makers from Turkey, Europe and the South Caucasus to discuss Turkey’s role in stabilizing the region both on the level of government engagement and civil society. This publication is the reflection of the commentary that was made by participants during the conference.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, Civil Society, and Regional Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Turkey, Middle East, Georgia, and South Caucasus
307. The European Commission in the 21st Century. Core Beliefs on EU Governance
- Author:
- Liesbet Hooghe
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Kolleg-Forschergruppe (KFG)
- Abstract:
- What lives in the European Commission at the beginning of the 21st Century? This paper charts Commission officials' views on the governance, ideological direction, and policy scope of the European Union, employing data from a large survey conducted in Autumn 2008. First, the Commission is not a hothouse for supranationalism. True, supporters of a supranational Union with the College of Commissioners as the government of Europe and member states in the back seat are the largest minority, but they are outnumbered two-to-one by state-centric, pragmatist, and ambivalent officials. There are striking differences in distribution by nationality, gender, and department. Second, where do Commission officials stand on ideology? The answer is that the Commission is broadly representative of European societies, at least on traditional economic left/right issues, though decidedly more socio-liberal. Ideological views are not randomly distributed across services, with social DGs significantly more social-democratic than DGs handling market integration. Officials from new member states are more market-liberal than their 'western' colleagues. Finally, are Commission officials indeed bureau-maximizers? We find that, on the whole, Commission officials want more EU authority in the eleven policy areas that we asked them to evaluate, but their desire to centralize is selective and measured. It seems driven by functional imperatives – centralization where scale economies can be reaped – and by values and ideology rather than by a generalized preference for maximal Commission power. In short, the bureaucratic politics argument has been overstated.
- Topic:
- Regional Cooperation, Treaties and Agreements, and Governance
- Political Geography:
- Europe
308. How to Negotiate under Co-decision in the EU: Reforming Trilogues and First-Reading Agreements
- Author:
- Lukas Obholzer and Christine Reh
- Publication Date:
- 05-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for European Policy Studies
- Abstract:
- The Constitutional Affairs Committee is currently reviewing the European Parliament's Rules of Procedure to increase the effectiveness, transparency and inclusiveness of first-reading agreements under co-decision. This CEPS Policy Brief takes a stand as to which rules should be adopted to achieve these objectives. Given the steep rise of early agreements and Parliament's role as a guarantor of EU legitimacy, we place a premium on inclusiveness and transparency. The rules suggested are designed to maintain efficiency for technical proposals, facilitate effective decision-making on urgent files and increase the overall legitimacy of legislative decision-making in the EU.
- Topic:
- Regional Cooperation, Treaties and Agreements, and Governance
- Political Geography:
- Europe
309. In Search of Symmetry in the Eurozone
- Author:
- Paul De Grauwe
- Publication Date:
- 05-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for European Policy Studies
- Abstract:
- One of the major problems of the eurozone is the divergence of the competitive positions that have built up since the early 2000s. This divergence has led to major imbalances in the eurozone where the countries that have seen their competitive positions deteriorate (mainly the so - called ' PIIGS ' – Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain ) have accumulated large current account deficits and thus external indebtedness, matched by current account surpluses of the countries that have improved their competitive positions (mainly Germany).
- Topic:
- Economics, Markets, Regional Cooperation, Global Recession, and Financial Crisis
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Greece, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Ireland
310. A Eurosceptic big bang: Finland's EU policy in hindsight of the 2011 elections
- Author:
- Kaisa Korhonen and Juha Jokela
- Publication Date:
- 05-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Finnish Institute of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- The Finnish parliamentary elections in spring 2011 were marked by a landslide victory for the Eurosceptic (True) Finns Party. Such an unprecedented upswing for anti-integrationist voices was expected to reshape Finland's EU policy. The Finns Party did not join the government, however, and the party has mainly influenced Finnish EU policymaking while in opposition, and indirectly through public opinion-building. While outright anti-integrationist rhetoric remains on the margins of national public debate, more critical approaches to EU politics have become increasingly pronounced. Political parties have, to varying degrees, adapted their rhetoric and policies to the changing environment. Importantly, the broad consensus on EU affairs in Finland has broken down, at least temporarily. The EU has featured high on the agendas of the recent election campaigns as well as in opposition politics. This has affected Finland's official position too. It has moved in a more cautious and self-contained direction, although the country remains a pro-integrationist member state.
- Topic:
- Democratization, International Trade and Finance, Political Economy, and Regional Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Finland