The Institutions of the Enlarged European Union: Change and Continuity (Studies in Eu Reform and Enlargement)

The European Union grew out of centuries of turmoil and national conflicts. The economic alliance upon which it is founded as survived many challenges, no the least of which is represented by its continuing expansion to include more and more nations. Collaboratively compiled and edited by the team of European Institute of Public Administration faculty members Edward Best and Thomas Christiansen, and Pierpaolo Settembri (an official with the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union), "The Institutions Of the Enlarged European Union: Continuity and Change" is comprised of informed and informative commentaries by fifteen contributors. The result is an impressively detailed introduction to the institutions and committees that form the core framework of EU activities including the EU Parliament, the European Central Bank, and the effects of EU membership expansion."The Institutions Of the Enlarged European Union" is very strongly recommended as an addition to governmental and university library International Studies reference collections in general, and European Union Studies supplemental reading lists in particular. `This timely, comprehensive and authoritative study provides much food for thought for European policy makers, particularly in the current situation of uncertainty about the Lisbon Treaty. The authors' basically upbeat findings - that, despite the arrival of twelve new member states in one big bang and one after shock, it has been pretty much business as usual for the EU's institutions - will comfort both those who worried about the EU's capacity to act in the absence of institutional reform and those who argued that such reform was unnecessary. But the editors identify a number of emerging dynamics that will be of concern to all who care about the Union's democratic increasing formalisation of meetings and procedures on the one hand, coupled with an increase in informal, pre-cooked deals on the other; increasing primacy of the administrative over the political; and a growing trend towards "presidentialisation" within the institutions, with continued efficiency requiring more emphasis on the "primus" than on the "pares". The editors conclude that, while the European Union's institutional system continues to function and might even become more efficient, the price to be paid could further distance the Union from the citizens it seeks to serve.' - Martin Westlake, Secretary General, European Economic and Social Committee, Brussels, Belgium `This volume reports a thorough appraisal of how the EU institutions have fared since the 2004 enlargement. In essence the answer is more of the same, with no evidence of gridlock. Business has been conducted in similar ways and at similar levels of output, helped by procedural adaptation. The new member states have slotted into the existing routines of the Union.' - Helen Wallace, European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK How have the main institutions and decision-making processes of the EU responded to the arrival of new member states? This book assesses the actual state of the EU institutions in the years after the 2004 enlargement, examining each of the main institutional actors as well as trends in legislative output, implementing measures and non-legislative approaches. The contributors outline the key changes as well as patterns of continuity in the institutional politics of the EU. The analysis finds that breakdown has been avoided by a combination of assimilation of the new member states and adaptation of the system, without any fundamental transformation of the institutions. Nonetheless, they conclude that it is not just `business as usual'. The streamlining and formalization of procedures, together with increased informal practices, has implications for transparency and accountability. Widening has not prevented deepening of European integration, but it has deepened normative concerns about the democratic legitimacy of that process which will remain very much on the agenda of the enlarged EU. This nuanced approach to the complexities of studying institutional politics and change contains important new and original data. As such it will be invaluable for postgraduate and advanced undergraduate students of EU politics and administrative science, as well as researchers, practitioners and journalists working in the fields of European studies more widely. How Have The Main Institutions And Decision-making Processes Of The Eu Responded To The Arrival Of New Member States? This Book Assesses The Actual State Of The Eu Institutions In The Years After The 2004 Enlargement, Examining Each Of The Main Institutional Actors As Well As Trends In Legislative Output, Implementing Measures And Non-legislative Approaches. The Contributors Outline The Key Changes As Well As Patterns Of Continuity In The Institutional Politics Of The Eu. 1. Introduction / Edward Best, Pierpaolo Settembri And Thomas Christiansen -- 2. The European Council : A Bigger Club, A Similar Role? / Wolfgang Wessels -- 3. Surviving Enlargement : How Has The Council Managed? / Edward Best And Pierpaolo Settembri -- 4. The European Commission : Enlargement As Reinvention? / John Peterson And Andrea Birdsall -- 5. The European Parliament And Enlargement / Brendan Donnelly And Milena Bigatto -- 6. Eu Enlargement And The European Court Of Justice / Caroline Naômé -- 7. The European Central Bank : Enlargement As Institutional Affirmation And Differentiation / Kenneth Dyson -- 8. The European Economic And Social Committee After Enlargement / Nieves Pérez-solórzano Borragán And Stijn Smismans -- 9. The Committee Of The Regions: Multi-level Governance After Enlargement / Simona Piattoni -- 10. Legislative Output After Enlargement : Similar Number, Shifting Nature / Edward Best And Pierpaolo Settembri -- 11. Implementing Committees In The Enlarged European Union : Business As Usual For Comitology? / Manuela Alfé, Thomas Christiansen And Sonia Piedrafita -- 12. Widening, Deepening - And Diversifying : Has Enlargement Shaped New Forms Of Eu Governance? / Edward Best -- 13. Conclusion / Thomas Christiansen, Edward Best And Pierpaolo Settembri. Edited By Edward Best, Thomas Christiansen, Pierpaolo Settembri. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover......Page 1 Copyright......Page 4 Contents......Page 5 Contributors......Page 7 Abbreviations......Page 8 Preface......Page 11 1. Introduction......Page 13 2. The European Council: a bigger club, a similar role?......Page 28 3. Surviving enlargement: how has the Council managed?......Page 46 4. The European Commission: enlargement as reinvention?*......Page 66 5. The European Parliament and enlargement......Page 94 6. EU enlargement and the European Court of Justice......Page 112 7. The European Central Bank: enlargement as institutional affirmation and differentiation......Page 132 8. The European Economic and Social Committee after enlargement......Page 152 9. The Committee of the Regions: multi-level governance after enlargement......Page 174 10. Legislative output after enlargement: similar number, shifting nature......Page 195 11. Implementing committees in the enlarged European Union: business as usual for comitology?......Page 217 12. Widening, deepening . . . and diversifying: has enlargement shaped new forms of EU governance?......Page 234 13. Conclusion......Page 255 Appendix......Page 265 Index......Page 269 Assesses the actual state of the EU institutions in the years after the 2004 enlargement, examining each of the main institutional actors as well as trends in legislative output, implementing measures and non-legislative approaches. This work outlines the key changes as well as patterns of continuity in the institutional politics of the EU This title addresses the evolution of the EUs institutional system in the context of enlargement, with an approach that charts change beyond and across individual EU institutions