The German Länder: From Milieu-Shaping to Territorial Politics

Author(s):  
Charlie Jeffery

This chapter looks at Europeanization through the lens of how the German Länder have responded to challenges posed by European integration since 1985. It does this by conceiving of ‘Europeanization’ as a two-way process in which the EU imposes adaptational pressures on, but is also subject to adaptational pressures from, the Länder. The chapter also uses the timescale of fifteen years to explore the dynamics of Europeanization. It finds that the Länder have persistently sought to minimize any perceived ‘misfit’ between the EU decision-making process and their domestic role as constituent units of the German federation. The nature of the misfit, and ideas on its resolution, have, however, changed over time as both the EU and Germany have adapted to the post-Cold War era. An initial concern for winning collective rights of access to a deepening EU is now being supplanted by a concern to protect individual Länder autonomy within the framework of the German member state from what is increasingly perceived as an unnecessarily interventionist EU.

2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 535-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ira E. Stüttler

The European citizenship and the democratic deficit are at the heart of the ongoing discussion about the European integration. Critics think that the possibility for the citizens to participate in the decision making process of the EU is not sufficient. In order to shed some light on this matter, the two concepts are examined under their different aspects. We emphasize not only their place in the larger context of the integration and the political situation in Europe but also the link between the two notions. This allows the conclusion that the European citizenship, because of its flexible and innovative character, should be the starting point in the search of an answer to the democratic deficit.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-130
Author(s):  
Gavrilov Doina

AbstractThe EU decision-making process is one that has changed over time with the Treaties, with the extension, modification of EU policies and the areas where the EU is acting. In addition to the above, in 2016 we have one more reason to add to the changing of the decisional process “-Brexit”- a political turnaround that stimulates new changes at the decision-making level and raises questions about the future of the European Union. Federalists claim that these events will lead to a strengthening of the Union, and euro-skeptics claim that this is a step towards breaking the Union. Two years after the Brexit started, the European Union continues to remain a prominent actor in the international arena, but another question is being raised: “Will EU institutions act on the same principles? Or will there be changes in the decision-making process?”. In this article, we will analyse the state coalitions in the decision-making process, and the role of Brexit in forming coalitions for establishing a decisional balance in the European Council. Following the analysis of the power rapport in the European Council, we refer to small and medium-sized states that work together closely to counterbalance the decisions of the big states, and the new coalitions to achieve their goals in the new political context.


Author(s):  
P. Timofeev

The gradual enlargement of the EEC has necessitated an adaptation of European supranational structures established in the 1950-1970s to the needs of the time. Under these circumstances one of the key priorities of France's participation in the EU is he struggle for preserving her influence on the EU decision-making process. The article is devoted to the interaction of France with its partners in the EU institutions. This implies not only the implementation of its own interests, but also the search for compromise more or less satisfactory to all participants.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
André S. Berne ◽  
Jelena Ceranic Perisic ◽  
Viorel Cibotaru ◽  
Alex de Ruyter ◽  
Ivana Kunda ◽  
...  

Crises are not a new phenomenon in the context of European integration. Additional integration steps could often only be achieved under the pressure of crises.  At present, however, the EU is characterised by multiple crises, so that the integration process as a whole is sometimes being questioned. In 2015, the crisis in the eurozone had escalated to such an extent that for the first time a member state was threatened to leave the eurozone. Furthermore, the massive influx of refugees into the EU has revealed the shortcomings of the Schengen area and the common asylum policy. Finally, with the majority vote of the British in the referendum of 23 June 2016 in favour of the Brexit, the withdrawal of a member state became a reality for the first time. Even in the words of the European Commission, the EU has reached a crossroads. Against this background, the twelfth Network Europe conference included talks on the numerous challenges and future integration scenarios in Europe. 


Author(s):  
Līga Brūniņa ◽  
Elīna Konstantinova ◽  
Aija Peršēvica

The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 determines that “Member States, with the assistance of the Commission, will map and assess the state of ecosystems and their services in their national territory by 2014, assess the economic value of such services, and promote the integration of these values into accounting and reporting systems at EU and national level by 2020”. Mapping and assessment of ecosystem services provides several benefits, one of which is baseline data providing to measure net future gains or losses and data integration into spatial development process. The aim of the paper is to present and discuss the approach taken to assessing ecosystem services in order to introduce necessity of mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services for planning and decision-making process in Latvia. The paper will focus on terminology interpretation of ecosystem services, introducing with set of developed indicators for assessment of ecosystem services and define appropriate for Latvia. The paper closes with estimation of potential benefits and necessity to integrate assessment of ecosystems services in spatial planning and decision-making process.


Author(s):  
Boban Melovic ◽  
Slavica Mitrovic Veljkovic ◽  
Dragana Cirovic ◽  
Ivana Djakovic Radojicic

This chapter analyzes the differences of decision-making process in the EU member countries, caused by differences in main dimensions of national culture of each of them. The influence of different cultural dimensions on decision-making process is explained. Thanks to the application of qualitative research method and deductive approach, there are conclusions about specificities of decision-making process, in particular EU countries. Using the inductive approach, content analysis method and method of synthesis, the EU countries were grouped regarding to the decision-making styles that are the most appropriate in each of them, based on the characteristics of the cultural framework that exist within them. Obtained results may help managers to better understand their decision-maker role in different cultural environment and it would enable them to apply the appropriate decision-making style, which would increase the quality of business decisions that are being made.


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