Between failure and success of the integration process: explaining the policy impact (the case of the fiscal and energy unions)

2016, 2016 (42), No. 4


Publication date

30.04.2017

Publishing model

open access

License type


Field

Social sciences

Discipline

economics and finance, communication and media studies, political science and public administration, management and quality studies, law, sociology, international relations

Language of publication

English

Downloads

PDF 379 KB

Article

Number of views:125

Number of downloads:9

Crossref citations:0

Altmetric score:0


Abstract

The aim of the article is to explain why the EU integration efforts have different outcomes in times of crisis with regards to impact on key stakeholders. Besides traditional political theories of European integration, authors suggest to take into account the importance of behavioural intentions and stimuli to adhere to the reforms agenda. The research results presented in this article explain two recent deep EU crises: energy crisis and fiscal crisis, which evolved simultaneously, but resulted in different integration projects within the same political and institutional background. Authors analysed Eurobarometer public opinion surveys together with empirical data on the impact on stakeholders, based on available indicators in Eurostat. Authors found that the key for a policy to succeed in targeting agents’ and groups’ behaviour is its direct ties with stakeholders’ motivation which can be done only at market level. Thus, policy shift in integration areas should be reinforced by direct and clear market solutions and corrective mechanisms avoiding politically-relevant targets.

Keywords:

Bibliography

Bauer Michael W., Knill Christoph (2014), A conceptual framework for the comparativeanalysis of policy change: measurement, explanation and strategies of policy dismantling,“Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis: Research and Practice”, no. 16(1).

Becker Lawrence J. (1978), Joint effect of feedback and goal setting on performance:a field study of residential energy conservation, “Journal of Applied Psychology”,no. 63(4).

Bickerton Christopher J., HODSON Dermot, PUETTER Uwe (2014), The newintergovernmentalism: European integration in the Post-Maastricht era, “JCMS:Journal of Common Market Studies”, no. 53(4).

Borkowski Paweł J. (2007), Polityczne teorie integracji międzynarodowej, Warszawa.auf dem Brinke Anna (2016), Excessive deficit procedure without fines?, DelorsInstitute, Blog Post, July 2016 (http://www.delorsinstitut.de/en/publications/qaexcessive-deficit-procedure-without-fines) (23.12.2016).

Carey Sean (2002), Undivided Loyalties: Is National Identity an Obstacle to EuropeanIntegration?, “European Union Politics”, no. 3.

Carpenter Edwin, Chester Theodore S. (1988), The impact of state tax creditsand energy prices on adoption of solar energy systems, “Land Economics”, no. 64(4).

Christiansen , Thomas (2015), Institutionalist Dynamics behind the New Intergovernmentalism:the Continuous Process of EU Treaty Reform, in: Christopher J. Bickerton,Dermot Hodson, Uwe Puetter (eds), The New Intergovernmentalism, Oxford.

Costanzo Marko, Archer Dane, Aronson Elliot, Pettigrew Thomas F.(1986), Energy conservation behaviour: the difficult path from information to action,“American Psychologist”, no. 41.

Dauter Luke, Fligstein Neil (2006), The Sociology of Markets, IRLE WorkingPaper, 145-07.

DiMaggio Paul (1988), Interest and agency in institutional theory, in: Lynne G.Zucker (ed.), Institutional patterns and organizations: Culture and environment,Cambridge.

Dupont Claire (2013), Climate policy integration into EU energy policy, BrusselsFree University.

EUROPEAN Commission (2006), A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitiveand Secure Energy. Green Paper (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=URISERV%3Al27062 ) (23.12.2016).

EUROPEAN Commission (2007), Communication from the Commission tothe European Council and the European Parliament. An Energy Policy for Europe(http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=celex:52007DC0001 )(23.12.2016).

EUROPEAN Commission (2008), Communication from the Commission to theEuropean Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committeeand the Committee of the Regions. Second Strategic Energy Review. An EUEnergy Security and Solidarity Action Plan (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52008DC0781 ) (23.12.2016).

EUROPEAN Commission (2014a), Communication from the Commission tothe European Parliament, and the Council. European Energy Security Strategy(http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:52014DC0330&qid=1407855611566) (23.12.2016).EUROPEAN Commission (2014b), Gas stress test: Cooperation is key to copewith supply interruption, Press-release 16 Oct 2014 (http://europa.eu/rapid/pressrelease_IP-14-1162_en.htm ) (23.12.2016).

EUROPEAN Commission (2015), Commission communication on the frameworkstrategy for the energy union, COM (2015) 80 (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2015%3A80%3AFIN ) (23.12.2016).Eurobarometer (2006), Special issue “Energy”. No. 258. (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_258_en.pdf ) (23.12.2016).

Eurobarometer (2007), Special issue on “Energy Technologies: Knowledge,Perception, Measures”. No. 262. (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_262_en.pdf ) (23.12.2016).

Eurobarometer (2010), Standard issue “Public opinion in the European Union”.No. 73. (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb73/eb73_first_en.pdf )(23.12.2016).

Eurobarometer (2013), Standard issue “Europeans, the European Union andthe Crisis. No. 80 (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb80/eb80_cri_en.pdf) (23.12.2016).

Eurobarometer (2014), Standard issue “Europeans, the European Union andthe Crisis”. No. 81 (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb81/eb81_cri_en.pdf) . (23.12.2016).

Falkner Gerda (2016), The EU’s current crisis and its policy effects: research designand comparative findings, “Journal of European Integration”, no. 38(3). DOI:10.1080/07036337.2016.1140154

Fligstein Neil (2002), Constructing Polities and Markets: An Institutionalist Accountof European Integration, Advanced Journal of Sociology, 107(5): 1206–1243.

Fligstein Neil (2008), Fields, power and social skill: A critical analysis of the newinstitutionalisms, “International Public Management Review”, no 9(1).

Fligstein Neil, Polyakova Alina, Sandholtz Wayne (2011), European Integration,Nationalism, and European Identity, “Journal of Common Market Studies”,no. 50 (1).

Fligstein Neil, McAdam Doug (2012), A theory of fields, Oxford.

GEHRING Thomas (1996), Integrating Integration Theory: Neo-functionalism and International Regimes, “Global Society”, no. 10(3).

Giddens Anthony (1979), Central problems in social theory: Action, structure, and contradiction in social analysis, Berkeley.

Gunnthorsdottir Anna, Rapoport Amnon (2006), Embedding social dilemmasin intergroup competition reduces free-riding, Organization Behaviour Human DecisionProcesses, 101: 184–199.

Haas Ernst B. (2001), Does Constructivism Subsume Neo-Functionalism?, in: ThomasChristiansen, Knud E. Jorgensen, Antje Wiener (eds.), The Social Construction of Europe,Thousand Oaks.

Hill Christopher (1993), The capacility-expectations gap or conceptualizing Europe’s international role, “Journal of Common Market Studies”, no. 31(3).

Huseynli Seymur (2013), Energy Policy of the European Union and Importance of theEnergy Resources of Azerbaijan: Neo-functionalist and Liberal IntergovernmentalistApproach, “International Affairs and Global Strategy”, no. 8.

Institute for Energy Research (2014), Germany’s Electricity Market Outof Balance, http://instituteforenergyresearch.org/analysis/germanys-electricity-marketbalance-must-pay-flexible-back-power/ (23.12.2016).

Jegen Maya, MErand Frederic (2013), Constructive Ambiguity: Comparingthe EU’s Energy and Defence Policies, “West European Politics”, DOI:10.1080/01402382.2013.818325.

Kapusniak Tomasz (2010), The eastern dimension of the European Union’s NeighbourhoodPolicy. Inclusion without membership?, Warszawa.

Lantos Geoffrey Paul (2011), Consumer behaviour in action: real-life applicationsfor marketing managers, New York.

Laffan Brigid, Schlosser Pierre (2016), Public finances in Europe: fortifyingEU economic governance in the shadow of the crisis, “Journal of European Integration”,no. 38(3), DOI:10.1080/07036337.201 6.1140158.

Letzler Robert (2007), Applying Psychology to Economic Policy Design: UsingIncentive Preserving Rebates To Increase Acceptance of Critical Peak ElectricityPricing, Working Paper 162. Berkeley: Center for the Study of Energy Markets,University of California.

Master Beata (2014), Teorie i koncepcje zjednoczeniowe Unii Europejskiej w założeniachprogramowych oraz w praktyce polskiej polityki integracyjnej (pracadoktorska), Instytut Nauk Politycznych i Dziennikarstwa, Uniwersytet Śląski wKatowicach.

Moravcsik Andrew (1995), Liberal Intergovernmentalism and Integration: A Rejoinder,“Journal of Common Market Studies”, no. 33.

Niemann Arne, Demosthenes Ioannou (2015), European economic integrationin times of crisis: a case of neofunctionalism?, “Journal of European PublicPolicy”, no. 22(2).

OFGEM (2011), What Can Behavioural Economics Say about GB Energy Consumers?,London.

Ostrom Elinor (1998), A behavioural approach to the rational choice theory of collectiveaction, “American Political Science Review”, no. 92(1).

Pollack Mark A. (1998), The Engines of Integration? Supranational Autonomyand Influence in the European Union, in: Wayne Sandholtz, Alec Stone Sweet (eds),European Integration and Supranational Governance, Oxford.

Pollitt Michael G., Shaorshadze Irina (2011), The Role of Behavioural Economicsin Energy and Climate Policy, “Cambridge Working Paper in Economics”,no. 1165.

Renner Stephan (2009), The Energy Community of Southeast Europe: A neofunctionalistproject of regional integration, “European Integration Online Papers”,Vol.13.

Sandholtz Wayne, Stone Sweet Alec, Fligstein Neil (eds, 2001), Theinstitutionalization of Europe, Oxford – New York.

Sandholtz Wayne, Stone Sweet Alec (2012), Neo-functionalism and supranationalgovernance, “The Oxford Handbook of the European Union” (ed. by ErikJones, Anand Menon, Stephen Weatherill, 2012).

Stone Sweet Alec, Brunell Thomas (1998), Constructing a SupranationalConstitution: Dispute Resolution and Governance in the European Community,“American Political Science Review”, no. 92.

Stone Sweet Alec (1999), Judicialisation and the Construction of Governance,“Comparative Political Studies”, no. 32(2).

WITKOWSKA Marta (2013), Zastosowanie paradygmatów federalizmu i rządzenia

wielopoziomowego do badania mechanizmów podejmowania decyzji w Unii Europejskiej,in: Janusz Ruszkowski, Luiza Wojnicz-Smal (eds), Multi-level Governancew Unii Europejskiej, Szczecin-Warszawa.

WITKOWSKA Marta (2015a), Przezwyciężanie kryzysu w procesie integracji europejskiejpoprzez zmiany regulacji dotyczących udziału obywateli UE w podejmowaniui realizacji decyzji, „Przegląd Europejski”, no. 1.

WITKOWSKA Marta (2015b), Kryzys modelu demokracji w Unii Europejskiej - przyczyny,uwarunkowania, scenariusze rozwoju sytuacji, in: Jadwiga Nadolska, KonstantyA. Wojtaszczyk (eds), Kryzysy w procesie integracji europejskiej i sposobyich przezwyciężania, Warszawa.

Yates Suzanne M., Aronson Elliot (1983), A social psychological perspective onenergy conservation in residential buildings, “American Psychologist”, no. 38(4).

Zachmann Georg (2014), Elements of Europe’s energy union, “Bruegel PolicyBrief”, no.5.

Similar publications