lectures 9 & 10 Flashcards
how institutional choices are influenced by factors like information and uncertainty
Hcau6: In ideal conditions, decisions tend to settle at the lowest common denominator without risk or inefficiency.
Example (Amsterdam and Nice): Denmark and Ireland, status quo-prone leaders, receive concessions to secure treaty ratification, resulting in basic outcomes without risks or inefficiencies.
Hcau7: Uncertainty increases the risk of failure and inefficiency, especially when referendums are announced.
Example (Lisbon): Referendum announcements during the ratification process contribute to the failure of the Constitutional Treaty and delays in ratifying the Lisbon Treaty, highlighting increased risks and inefficiencies.
causes behind institutional choices (some)
H1cau: Leaders prioritize their country’s interests when shaping EU governance structures.
H2cau: Leaders prioritize their party’s interests when deciding on transferring policy competences to the EU level.
H4cau: Leaders are more likely to support treaties that deviate further from the status quo in interstate negotiations.
hypotheses for technocratism within EU policy-making
Hcon1: As conflict increases in EU governance design, policy-making tends to become more technocratic.
Hcon2: A larger legislative core correlates with the increased implementation of tertiary legislation in EU policy-making.
Hcon3: A larger legislative core leads to the implementation of more centralizing regulations and decisions in EU policy-making.
TECHNOCRACY definition
experts, rather than elected officials, make decisions based on their specialized knowledge and skills.
technocracy and EU
- tertiary act dominance:
- Supranational Executive Activism:
3: Differentiation Among Member States:
4: Incentives for Centralization:
5: Challenges to Subsidiarity:
Tertiary Act Dominance:
EU policymaking is heavily influenced by bureaucratic regulations and decisions, signaling a technocratic governance approach. Tertiary acts, like regulations and decisions, centralize policymaking and limit member states’ discretion, favoring a uniform approach.
(differ from directives which allow for member state discretion)
Supranational Executive Activism:
Increasing use of tertiary acts indicates a trend towards supranational executive activism, where the EU’s executive branch actively shapes policies, fostering centralization. This enhances EU integration by establishing common rules.
Differentiation Among Member States:
Despite centralization, differences exist among member states due to diverse interests and capacities. While EU policies aim for harmonization, they may affect member states differently.
Incentives for Centralization:
The threat of legislative override decreases with a larger legislative core, giving the executive branch more freedom to centralize decision-making through bureaucratic regulations and decisions.
Challenges to Subsidiarity:
Subsidiarity is a fundamental principle aimed at ensuring that decisions are made at the most appropriate level, closer to the citizens.
Its application is challenged by the role of supranational executive bodies, tertiary acts, and shared competences.
tertiary acts
regulations and decisions that have direct legal effect and are binding on member states, meaning they don’t require further implementation by national governments.
—How does the institutional choice to empower the European
Parliament, which becomes a co-legislative veto player of the
Council of the EU, changeEU policy-making?
- enhanced democratic legitmacy (direct representatiion)
- bicameral negotiation
- prioritizes policies with clear public benefits
How does EU policy-making affect party competition, which
polarizes between pro-integrationist ruling/mainstream and
anti-integrationist challenger/periphery parties?
- divide between mainstream & challenger parties
- changes in sovereignty and governance
- changes in types of policy (migration and economic e.g.)
How does EU policy-making impact public support of European
integration at times of EU crisis management?
- perceived effectiveness of EU affects support
- Disputes or perceptions of unequal burden-sharing can weaken support
- Austerity measures and economic hardship can lead to resentment towards the EU
How does the choice to continue with the
supranational agenda monopoly change EU
policy-making?
- centralizing the initiation process
- ensuring technical rigor
- maintaining continuity in the EU’s long-term objectives.
-raises questions about democratic legitimacy and the balance of power among EU institutions
