question

How did European integration start and why?

answer

- Treaty of Paris (1951) created European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) - To prevent war between Germany and France

question

Which types of competencies does the European Union have?

answer

Exclusive, shared, and supporting competencies

question

How did the European Union realize integration even though states would like to maintain sovereignty?

answer

- Selective opt-outs - Escape clauses - Imperfect enforcement

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Which of these types of integration DOES NOT apply to the European Union?

answer

Common national citizenship requirements

question

States rarely delegate their decision-making authority

answer

Delegation decisions - Adjudicative power vs. legislative power - Maintain high degree of self-determination IOs rarely have legislative functions - Member states want to continue to set the rules - Uncertainty and commitment problems

question

However, after WWII, many wanted some form of unification in Europe to avoid deadly conflict

answer

Human losses in WWII

question

States made several attempts to reduce economic and political conflict

answer

- Council of Europe (1949) was first pan-European organization - Treaty of Paris (1951) created European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC): signed by France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and West Germany - Failure of European Defense Community and European Political Community motivated Spaak report - Led to Treaties of Rome (1957)

question

Why did European integration by initiating cooperation on coal and steel production?

answer

To overcome security concerns - Robert Schuman (proposed in 1950): prevent war between Germany and France - "Make war not only unthinkable but materially impossible"

question

The EU has had five major expansions

answer

- First enlargement (1973): UK, Ireland, and Denmark (Norway lost referendum) - Mediterranean enlargement (1981): Greece, Spain, and Portugal - Post-Cold War (1995): Austria, Finland and Sweden (Norway lost referendum) - Eastern enlargement (2004, 2007): Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania - Western Balkans enlargement (2013+): Croatia

question

Institutional and political factors influence enlargement decisions

answer

Institutions - Different levels of integration: Depth and inclusiveness - Increasing body of European law (acquis communautaire) Current members and accession states - National governments' ideal policies (pro/anti integration) - Public opinion European Commission

question

The role of EU institutions has evolved with the signing of new treaties

answer

Changes in economic and political integration in Europe

question

European integration takes on many different forms

answer

Creating "European-ness": Eurovision song contest, Erasmus student exchange

question

Concerns of state sovereignty initially limited European economic and political integration

answer

European Communities (Treaty of Rome, 1957) - European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) - European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) - European Economic Community (EEC) Larger states demand greater authority - Merger Treaty (1963) created single "Commission" of nine members 2 from each of the larger states (France, Germany and Italy) 1 from each of the smaller states (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) - Political integration gone too far France was against Common Agricultural Policy (1962) - "Empty chair policy": France threatened to withdraw from European institutions until French veto was reinstated

question

Concerns of state sovereignty still affect European integration decisions

answer

Current "opt-outs" (in orange) - Schengen Agreement (Ireland and UK) - Economic and Monetary Union (Denmark and UK) - Defense (Denmark) - Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Poland and UK) - Area of freedom, security and justice (Denmark, Ireland and UK)

question

But, states may have given up substantial decision-making authority in some areas

answer

Supremacy of European law: Costa v. ENEL (1964) - Nationalization infringed EC law on the State distorting the market Monetary policy: Euro convergence criteria ("Maastricht criteria") - Inflation, budget deficit, debt/GDP ratio, exchange rate stability, interest rates

question

The EU and member states balance divided competences

answer

Exclusive, shared, and supporting competences between EU and member states

question

Exclusive

answer

- customs union - competition rules necessary for internal market - monetary policy for euro - conservation of marine biological resources under common fisheries policy - common commercial policy - concluding some international

question

Shared

answer

- internal market - social policy (defined in the TFEU) - economic, social and territorial cohesion - agriculture and fisheries (excluding exclusive competences) - environment - consumer protection - transport - trans-European networks - energy - area of freedom, security and justice - public health matters (defined in the TFEU) - research, technological development and space development cooperation and humanitarian aid

question

Supporting

answer

- protection and improvement of human health - industry - culture - education, vocational training, youth and sport - tourism - civil protection administrative cooperation

question

How many principal decision-making institutions are there in the European Union?

answer

7 (European Parliament, European Council, Council of the European Union, European Commission, Court of Justice of the European Union, European Central Bank, Court of Auditors)

question

Each EU institutions has its own functions and objectives

answer

1. European Parliament - Consults, consents, and decides legal acts - Does not formally possess legislative initiative 2. European Council - Heads of state or government (and Commission's President) - No formal legislative power, strategic (crisis-solving body) 3. European Commission - Proposes legal acts - Executes the budget 4. Council of the European Union - Decides legal acts (bicameral EU legislature with EP) - Represents executive governments of member states 5. Court of Justice of the European Union - Encompasses the whole judiciary - Interprets EU law 6. European Central Bank - Central bank for Euro - Administers monetary policy for Eurozone 7. Court of Auditors - Controls revenues and expenditures of EU - Professional external investigatory audit agency

question

The European Council reflects the concerns of national governments

answer

No formal legislative power Composed of national leaders - EU's "supreme political authority" - Powerful in policy areas like foreign policy Appoints: - its own President - High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy - President of the European Central Bank - Proposes Candidate for President of the European Commission to EP

question

The European Commission also tends to reflect national interests

answer

Executive branch of EU, but can initiate legislative proposals ("European Government", former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt) Commission consists of 28 members, including President and vice-presidents - Each member appointed by a national government, one per state - President delegates "portfolios", which vary in importance/competences

question

The European Parliament has little power in relation to other EU institutions

answer

In 1970, EP began to oversee areas of Communities' budget (whole budget in 1975) Direct elections (751 members today) Voted on Commission Presidents before EP had veto power over process Legislative procedures have changed: - Consultation: Council adopts legislation with proposal by European Commission and consultation from EP - Consent - Co-decision (ordinary legislative procedure)

question

Large states use their status to gain other institutional advantages

answer

The Stability and Growth Pact, excessive deficits and sanctions

question

Which EU institution is comprised of Heads of State?

answer

European Council

question

How can we explain European integration?

answer

Functionalism and intergovernmentalism

question

Do smaller states gain more or less from EU integration than large member countries?

answer

Smaller states gain more (tend to be net receivers)

question

What explains EU legislative choices?

answer

- Generality: Left-right ideology -

question

Existing theories have mostly focused on explaining increasing integration

answer

For decades: More integration or status quo Theoretical debates: Functionalism (from follows function) - EU institutions and economic elites drive integration - Economic competition between countries: Leftist parties more integrationist - Spillover effects: "Gradualism" Intergovernmentalism (function follows form) - Nation states control integration (depth and pace) - Bargaining and political deals (not spillovers) - Limit supranationalism (role of EU institutions) - Major integrationist steps possible

question

The exit of a member country is unprecedented in history

answer

Brexit referendum in June 2016

question

Why did a majority of citizens in the UK vote for the Brexit? Dissatisfaction with...

answer

the level of migration inflows

question

Which countries do you think gain the most from EU spending?

answer

Smaller states

question

The Council of Ministers makes legislative decisions. Which factors help explain their voting behavior?

answer

Left-right ideology and national economic interests

question

Grexit (Greece exit) poses an additional threat to integrationist policies

answer

There exists a strong divide over support for an Exit of Greece from the Eurozone There exists a strong left-right cleavage in opposition to the Grexit... ... and this relationship holds for all countries

question

What do you think explains the left-right cleavage in opposition to a Grexit?

answer

Expected economic Grexit impact (left believe negative)

question

Neither redistributive concerns nor empathy explain the ideological divide over the Grexit

answer

Ideological differences reflect beliefs about the economic impact of a Grexit

question

Intergenerational change may lead to re-integration in the long-run...

answer

...but in the meantime, EU citizens generally do not support more integration

question

Which factors determine international negotiations?

answer

Number of players, congruence, cohesion

question

How does domestic politics matter in international relations?

answer

Domestic actors and institutions can constraint or empower governments internationally

question

How does an increase in the size of the win-set affect international policy making?

answer

- Decrease policy stability - Increase size of policy shifts - Increases impact of agenda-setting power

question

International politics involves negotiations between states

answer

Negotiations often indirectly involve additional, domestic actors

question

The U.S political system turns international bargaining into a sequential game

answer

- International bargaining, the President and the U.S Senate - International treaties require support by 2/3 of the Senate

question

Domestic actors and institutions affect international interactions

answer

International level - Two or more countries negotiate - Countries interact with and within IOs Domestic level - Domestic actors can constraint or empower governments National parliament Sub-national policy-makers Public opinion (citizens) Special interests etc... - Institutions (elections, referendums,...) moderate: Temporally, cross-sectionally

question

In the U.S. (and in many other countries), international treaties have to be ratified. Does this requirement make national governments...

answer

It depends on...

question

Governments anticipate domestic responses

answer

1. International stage - Government negotiates an agreement with other government 2. Domestic stage - Parliament (domestic veto player ratifies or not

question

Domestic actors can constrain or empower governments in international negotiations

answer

Sub-national policy-makers can pre-emptively set own standards - Enacting ambitious policies (over-regulation) - Lagging behind to prevent progress (under-regulation) Create status quo policies Affects: - National government's bargaining position - Credibility of threats and promises

question

Strategic sub-national policymakers can act prior to international policy effort

answer

California's Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 - Aims to reduce climate emissions by 20 percent by 2020 - Spillover effects on other states - Federal regulation deviating from state regulation can be costly - Empower green governments; constraints brown governments Other examples - Local public transportation policies, public employment, regional building codes

question

Domestic public opinion affects international bargaining

answer

Individual preferences affect government policies In democracies, public opinion matters because of electoral accountability Example: IMF loans and labor conditionality - IMF programs stipulate reforms of domestic labor market (employment, wages, and social benefits) - Workers oppose intrusive labor conditionality - Governments fear electoral backlash - Can empower or constrain national governments (depending on own preferences)

question

Strong domestic labor power reduces the intrusiveness of IMF labor conditionality

answer

- PLP = skilled/unskilled workers x 1/% of surplus labor - Outcome: Total number of labor conditions in loan program (country-year)

question

Successful international negotiations depend on shared interests between different actors

answer

Win-set: Set of possible agreements that would receive domestic support; intersections of actors' preferred sets

question

What determines the size of the win-set at the domestic level?

answer

Theoretical perspective on decision-making Veto player: Individual or collective actor whose agreement is necessary for changing the status quo - E.g., Governments (executive), national parliament, sub-national policy-makers, parties, ... Indifference curve: Set of points that generate same utility as status quo Win-set of the status quo: Set of alternatives that can defeat the status quo in an unanimity vote

question

The size of the win-set provides information about political stability

answer

Size of the win-set matters for: - Policy stability - Size of policy shifts - Impact of agenda-setting power

question

Smaller win-sets make policy changes less likely (political stability)

answer

Win-set small: High policy stability and small policy shifts - Only few policy alternatives able to defeat the status quo - Prevents moving policy far away from status quo Win-set large: Low policy stability and radical policy shifts - Many policy alternatives able to defeat status quo - Radical changes possible - Agenda-setting power more important

question

Three factors determine the size of the win-set

answer

1. Number of players - How many veto players - Domestic Ex: Coalition governments, separation of power - International Ex: Inclusive IOS 2. Congruence - Heterogeneity: Distance between veto players' positions - Ex: Ideological distance between president and legislature 3. Cohesions - Within-group heterogeneity: Similarity of ideal policies of constituent units of each player - Ex: Ideological difference between Republic party elite and supporters

question

What happens if we increase the number of players? The win-set never...

answer

C: gets larger

question

As congruence increases, the win-set increases

answer

Congruence: Distance between vote players' ideal points

question

As cohesion increases, the win-set decreases

answer

Cohesion: Similarity of positions of the members of each veto player

question

We can use this theory to explain state behavior at the international level

answer

International negotiations affected by - Number of veto players (domestic and international) - Congruence of veto players - Cohesion of veto players Examples - When do states join IOs? - Treaty ratification - Settlement of international disputes

question

More domestic veto players can make international cooperation more difficult

answer

Domestic veto players: - Number of parties in government (multi-party coalition) - Bicameral legislature - President vs. legislature - etc... More veto players: Potential for more constrains on implementing new policies Prediction: - Fewer international commitments - Less likely to join IOs

question

Presidential systems join International Organizations less frequently

answer

Presidential systems: separate executive and legislature Parliamentary systems: executive directly relies on parliamentary support

question

Divided government should affect international interactions

answer

Divided government reduces the president's international policy options

question

How should divided government affect the U.S president?

answer

President is more constrained

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