Europeanization

Question 1

Bottom-up

Answer 1

Processes through which member states and other domestic actors shape EU policies, politics and polity (upload of domestic interests to the EU level)
Example: Citizens’ initiative

Question 2

Bottom up- rationalist/intergovernmental approach

Answer 2

Domestic actors relentlessly pursue their own goals and try in any way to impose their will upon the rest of the EU Council: MS disposing of most votes and strong bargaining powers, are more likely to shape outcome of EU policies

Question 3

Bottom up- constructivist approach

Answer 3

Domestic actors have flexible access opinions/ interests and can be persuaded via good arguments (more important than voting power of a single MS- in THE EU COUNCIL)

Question 4

Top-down

Answer 4

Ways in which the EU shapes processes and political outcomes in its member states and third countries.
Its impact is differential and reversible

Question 5

Top-down- Rationalist approach (rational choice institutionalism)

Answer 5

In the download of EU policies domestic actors can bring their own goals/ interest to the fore- additional resource for them to exercise influence

Question 6

Top down- Constructivist Approach (sociological institutionalism)

Answer 6

Set of rules and norms determined by Europeanization affect the way domestic actors think and act- as they seek to meet social expectations

Question 7

Sequential Approach

Answer 7

Synthesis between bottom-up and top-down: analysis of the upload and download of policies and how they interact with each other.
-> the more successful MSs are at uploading, the less problem they encounter in the download process

Question 8

Types of Legislation (3)

Answer 8

• regulations (directly applicable)
  -decisions (need to be transposed into national law)
  -directives (also to be transposed, but can be interpreted/ adapted)

Question 9

Worlds of Compliance (4)

Answer 9

1) world of Law Observance (Denmark, Sweden, Finland), compliance goal usually overriding domestic concerns
2) world of domestic politics (Germany, Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Spain, the UK), prevalence of domestic concerns in case of conflict of interests with compliance goal; cost-benefit analysis
3) world of transposition neglect (France, Luxembourg, Greece, Portugal), compliance with EU law it’s not a goal in itself
4) world of dead letters (Ireland, Italy, most CEE countries), compliance in transposition, but not implementation (systematic shortcomings)

Question 10

Infringement procedure (3)

Answer 10

Before: informal dialogue with suspected-infringing MS (with the Commission, acting as guardian of the treaties)
EU pilot- Commission tries to persuade the MS into compliance

1) formal letter to the MS from the commission
2) reasoned opinion (more extensive letter)
3) lawsuit against the MS in the Court of Justice