Home > Conferences and Events > Calendar of Events > Portsmouth 2007 > Research Session 7

Exchanging Ideas on Europe 2007
Common Values - External Policies
UACES 37th Annual Conference and 12th Research Conference

Research Session 7

UACES reserves the right at all times to make changes to the programme where necessary.

Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 | Session 4 | Session 5 | Session 6 | Session 7 | Main Programme

Wednesday, 5 September 2007 (11:00-12:30)

The panels listed in the table below are followed by the abstracts for each of the papers.

Antoniou, Elias (University of Sussex, e.antoniou[a]sussex.ac.uk)

Confronting Institutional Challenges in EU Foreign Policymaking: The Case of the African Peace Facility

The €250 Africa Peace Facility (APF) created in mid-2004 represents a unique and innovative approach to the European Union’s (EU’s) foreign policy goal of establishing peace and security in Africa. This paper asks whether the EU has taken groundbreaking strides internally at political, legal and institutional levels in order to make the APF a reality. Politically, the APF required the EU and its member states to overcome two controversial issues; firstly, accepting that peace and security are precursors for development; and secondly, that peace and security operations could be financed from the European Development Fund (EDF). Legally, peace and security operations, usually the domain of the CFSP in the intergovernmental Pillar II of the EU are largely managed under the ‘communautaire’ Pillar I of the EC for the APF. On an institutional level, therefore, the APF operates at the ‘limits’ of EC – EU competence in an area where both the Commission and the member states have an interest and thus requiring greater coordination and coherence within the EU. The conclusions are that the APF signals a more proactive approach to EU external action in Africa stemming from an innovative institutional framework for the EU in the management of the AFP which potentially offers a glimpse of the type of EU foreign policy actor under construction.

Biscop, Sven (Egmont – Royal Institute for International Relations, s.biscop[a]egmontinstitute.be)

Forging a Global Europe: The EU and the European Security Strategy

This paper aims to assess whether the European Security Strategy (ESS) effectively functions as a strategy. A strategy is a policy-making tool which, on the basis of the values and interests of in this case the EU, outlines the long-term overall policy objectives to be achieved and the basic categories of instruments to be applied to that end. It serves as a reference framework for day-to-day policy-making in a rapidly evolving and increasingly complex international environment and it guides the definition of the means – i.e. the civilian and military capabilities – that need to be developed
Given the omnipresence of the ESS, it can be argued that in this sense a strategic culture is developing at the EU level, i.e. the habit of automatically referring to the strategic framework of the ESS when taking decisions and the willingness to undertake the actions and commit the means required to achieve those strategic objectives.
This emerging strategic culture is what this paper aims to investigate. To which extent do the choices made in the ESS effectively function as a reference framework for day-to-day decision-making and shape EU policy? How do these choices relate to existing policies and what added value has the adoption of the strategic framework brought? Are the assumptions of the ESS still valid, are its objectives sufficient to safeguard EU interests and can they be achieved? Which additional actions, instruments and means could help achieving these objectives? Are there areas still to be covered by fundamental strategic reflection? Should the ESS be reviewed?

Chang, Michele (College of Europe, Belgium, mchang[a]coleurop.be)

Creating Legitimacy in Monetary Union

In this paper, I argue that much of the discontent surrounding monetary union ultimately stems from a lack of legitimacy that has manifested itself in inconsistent policies and an accountability structure that made scapegoating the preferred method of dealing with problems encountered in EMU's implementation. The design and implementation of monetary integration exhibits some of the worst elements of the democratic deficit that plagues the EU more generally. First, its legitimacy rests on an ex-post legitimacy based on outcome, but the ideas behind the policies and institutions do not enjoy the necessary support at the national level. Second, the institutional configuration of EMU has created inconsistent monetary and fiscal policies with an unclear structure of accountability, contributing to suboptimal economic outcomes and public dissatisfaction with EMU. Finally, the nature of European integration makes it difficult to separate sectors like monetary integration from perceptions of European integration in general. Therefore dissatisfaction with monetary integration and government unwillingness to abide by restrictions it places on states correspond to the generally pessimistic environment that Europe finds itself in. Political will must be found domestically, at the EU level, transnationally, or in some combination.

Cheiladaki-Liarokapi, Maria (Sussex University, m.cheiladaki-liarokapi[a]sussex.ac.uk)

Comparing the Influence of Supranational Institutions in the Policy-Making Processes of Student and Patient Mobility

Student mobility is a very old issue in the EU agenda. In the literature, it is argued that the Gravier ruling has played a decisive role in enabling the Commission to propose in 1985 the Erasmus programme which seeks to encourage the mobility of students. By contrast, patient mobility came later within the EU agenda and again tribute is given to the heroic role played by the ECJ in the Kohll and Decker rulings. This paper seeks to reconstruct the stories of policy development on the issues beginning by the late 1950s when both issues were brought to the agenda of the Community. It is argued that when their policy development processes are examined together, rather than in isolation, different conclusions are drawn about supranational influence. This is because existing literature fails to identify the path governments excluded from taking action at the stage of the critical juncture and therefore pay careful attention to the sequence of events and their outcomes after the passage of this stage. The paper argues that before making claims about supranational influence in our explanation of policy outcomes it is essential that we engage in comparative analyses of EU policy development.

Coulter, Steve (London School of Economics and Political Science, s.coulter1[a]lse.ac.uk)

When Choices are Strategic: Explaining the TUC's Preference towards EMU Membership

This paper explores how and why domestic economic actors (in this case the UK's peak trade union association, the TUC) take particular views on multilateral policy innovations (in this case EMU). The literature on EMU and unions tends to emphasise the material interests of actors in particular industrial sectors and/or processes of 'Europeanisation' in determining their preferences. But these largely ignore the domestic political context within which the TUC operated - in particular its increasingly fraught relationship with its supposed political allies in the UK Labour Party. The argument of the paper is that the TUC became strongly pro-EMU in large part to signal moderation to the 'new' Labour leadership of Tony Blair during the early/mid 1990s. A rational-choice institutionalist approach is used to show how unions operating in states with liberal market economies and facing structures of interest representation characteristic of majoritarian political systems may adopt apparently sub-optimal policy positions in order to demonstrate their reliability as a labour market partner. The paper therefore overturns many previous notions of domestic actor preference formation with regard to EMU. It has additional implications for the institutional study of union-political party relationships and applications of 'varieties of capitalism' analysis to political outcomes.

Flenley, Paul (University of Portsmouth, paul.flenley[a]port.ac.uk)

Russia and the EU: The Clash of New Neighbourhoods?

With the expansion of the EU to include Bulgaria and Romania the EU now becomes a Black Sea power. Alongside the earlier extension of the EU’s neighbourhood policy to the Caucasus this highlights the issue of the EU’s increasing involvement in the area of the former Soviet Union and the potential for a “clash of neighbourhoods” between the EU and Russia. This paper will seek to analyses the extent to which the EU is being drawn into involvement in these new neighbours and examine Russia’s continuing influence and response to this involvement. It will look at issues such as the “frozen conflicts” and the EU’s versus Russia’s involvement in these, the use of energy supplies and trade relations in the area. Consideration will be given to the relevance of potential models for incorporating EU-Russia cooperation in the new neighbourhood such as the Northern Dimension and the role which Russia’s regions may be able to play. Finally it will assess how far potential conflict over spheres of influence in areas such as the Black Sea can be subsumed under the wider concept of the EU-Russia “Common Spaces”.

Hodson, Dermot (European Commission, Belgium, dermot.hodson[a]ec.europa.eu)

Just Say No: The Effectiveness of Peer Pressure as an Instrument of EU Macroeconomic Governance

This paper looks at the importance of peer pressure for EU macroeconomic governance. Taking the dual outcome in euro-area fiscal policy between 1999 and 2003 as a case study, this paper asks whether there is any link between budgetary outcomes and attempts to name, shame and blame profligate Member States. Overall, little evidence is found to support this hypothesis, with peer pressure having failed to bite in prudent and profligate Member States alike for two principal reasons. Firstly, concerns over the credibility of the sanctioning body and the precision in EMU's budgetary rules complicated the task of naming errant Member States. Secondly, the comparative disinterest of national parliaments and financial markets in EU macroeconomic governance meant that naming did not necessarily lead to shaming and blaming. In the light of this evidence, options for strengthening the effectiveness of peer pressure as a soft sanction mechanism are discussed.

James, Scott (University of Manchester, scott.james[a]postgrad.manchester.ac.uk)

Taming the Awkward State? Europeanisation and the Changing Face of UK EU Policy Making under Blair

This paper analyses the pervasive changes to EU policy making that have taken place within the UK core executive since 1997 and attempts to evaluate and explain the Blair government’s strategy for normalising relations with the EU. Aiming to add value to existing theories of Europeanisation, the study sets out four distinctive modes through which administrative change can occur as a consequence of EU membership. It moves beyond traditional institutionalist accounts by employing a strategic-relational network framework to map the changing face of EU policy-making within the Whitehall EU ‘network’ and to explain how the structure of the network conditions the nature of UK EU policy. The paper argues that faced with countervailing centripetal and centrifugal pressures for change, the Blair government has sought to ‘informalise’ and delegate day-to-day co-ordination downwards, while strengthening the role of the centre to provide more effective strategic direction and political leadership. It suggests however that despite this strategy for reforming the UK’s ‘awkward state’, many critical structural features of the UK core executive continue to undermine efforts to project an unambiguously constructive EU policy.

Klountzou, Theodora (University of Sussex, t.klountzou[a]sussex.ac.uk)

Europeanisation and the Export of European Values through ESDP: The Case of FYROM

Research on the concept of Europeanisation and its definitions and approaches thrived especially in the last decade. This paper will aim to further explore and shed light on the less researched dimension of Europeanisation, that of the export of ideas, values, governance and structures and, in particular, the export of ESDP’s structures beyond European territories. For the purpose of this paper, a case study on FYROM and the operation ‘Concordia’ will be used. The paper will be looking at the relations between European and non-European actors during the operation Concordia and will try to identify how the ‘diffusion’ process of the ESDP’s structures occurred in a non-coercive manner, doing so through focus on the ESDP and the spread of democratic values, administrative efficiency, human rights, anti-corruption, public accountability and promotion of security and stability in the region.

Margaras, Vasilis (Loughborough University, v.margaras[a]lboro.ac.uk)

Why Institutionalisation is Not Enough: The Role of ESDP Institutions in the Formation of ESDP

The paper examines the role of the newly established ESDP institutions and tries to answer to what extent institutions have been influential in shaping the European Security and Defence Policy. It is claimed that ESDP institutions have been good when it comes to managing crisis and planning new military operations. However, the pillar structure of the EU and the strong national interests that dominate in the fields of security and defence make it more difficult for supranational actors to influence the debate. Still, although these institutions are characterised by limited power and lack of resources they have managed so far to run ESDP operations smoothly and build a new trust amongst the Europeans officials who participate in them. Common understandings and a limited strategic culture is slowly emerging especially when it comes to issue of Balkan security. This new European strategic culture is characterised by certain values such as the importance of the rule of UN law, multilateralism and a civic-military balance when it comes to planning operations. The paper will provide an assessment of these ideational developments and will conclude with the idea that in the long term American and European values in peace-keeping and peace-making will diverge.

McVeigh, Paul (University of Portsmouth, paul.mcveigh[a]port.ac.uk)

A Neo-Liberal Europe? Globalization, Europeanisation and the Convergence Thesis

This paper will set out the case that under the pressures of globalization and European integration and in the absence of a counterveiling deepening of political integration at the European level, economic reform is and will progressively erode the traditional pattern of economic governance through the EU. The paper will argue that the logic of economic integration within Europe and globally produces pressures on the social models of economic governance associated with most EU economies. This has created an agenda for reform which is becoming dominant in political discourse even in the most robust bastion of alternatives to Anglo-Saxon capitalism, France. However, it is argued that substantial convergence will only be the outcome of protracted political struggle and will still be shaped by the diverse state traditions of the EU member states. The paper considers the case that deeper political integration spanning the relevant labour market and social welfare issues offers an alternative possible route out of this convergence and maintaining distinctive European forms of capitalism. On balance this argument is rejected with the caveat that the tensions between economic integration and the social model may drive a fracturing of the integration process and a two-speed Europe.
The paper therefore establishes the main lines of argument to be followed in subsequent national case study papers where the empirical evidence for convergence will be presented and analysed.

Randazzo, Vincenzo (University of Florence, vinrandazzo[a]tin.it)

Towards Legalisation in the Field of Security and Defence? A Legal Analysis of the ESDP Institutional Framework

Since the late Nineties, the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) has undergone a number of unprecedented and unexpected developments. The process towards the creation of ESDP has been marked by significant institutional innovations. A full-fledged ESDP machinery is now in place, with several bodies involved in the different phases of decision-making procedures both in the field of crisis management and in the sector of arms cooperation and capabilities development.
This paper suggests that, in such a context, a trend towards legalisation of ESDP is gradually emerging. This means that ESDP is not developing along completely informal and politically-based methods of cooperation, but it is rather being encapsulated within the EU legal order and regulated through legal instruments. This paper will assess the solidity of such trend and its main implications, for instance in terms of the effectiveness of EU action. In order to do so, it will analyse the legal nature of the ESDP institutional framework and it will focus on specific aspects such as the features of different bodies and structures, the decision-making procedures and the problems of accountability and control.

Romanova, Tatiana (St Petersburg State University, Russia, romanova[a]dip.pu.ru)

The Russian Perspective on the Energy Dialogue

The EU-Russian Energy Dialogue was initially launched on the proposal of the European Commission and for a while it followed the Brussels’ agenda. However, gradually Russia came up with its (alternative) vision of the Energy Dialogue, which was in many ways different to the Brussels’ vision. The discussion on the Energy Charter Treaty, the growing involvement of the business and Russia’s presidency in G-8 served as catalysts of the process. This transformation of the Russian attitude leads to the modification of the discussion within the Energy Dialogue, to the quest for new (more adequate) institutional structures for the Dialogue and, at the end of the day, it transforms the EU’s external energy policy agenda.

Timmins, Graham (University of Stirling, graham.timmins[a]stir.ac.uk)

Joint paper with Irina Busygina

Russian-EU Relations under Putin: Mission Accomplished?

This paper will focus on the evolution of Russian-EU relations under the Putin Administration and will attempt to evaluate the success of Russia’s foreign policy agenda towards the EU. It will begin with a discussion of the mutual interests and tensions which have impacted upon Russia’s foreign policy towards the EU and will investigate the extent to which Putin’s election as President in 2000 heralded a shift in foreign policy in comparison to the Yeltsin period. This will be followed by consideration of the Russian foreign policy-making process and will highlight the extent to which various actors involved are able to influence the policy agenda. This will be followed by an evaluation of the internal and external events and factors which have contributed in shaping the Russian foreign policy agenda towards the EU. The final section of this paper will evaluate the extent to which Russian foreign policy objectives towards the EU have been achieved from the Russian perspective and will consider the legacy of the Putin Administration for EU-Russian relations heading towards the 2008 Presidential elections.

Torun, Zerrin (University of Sussex, z.torun[a]sussex.ac.uk)

Operation Artemis and Beyond: Dynamics behind ESDP Activism in Africa

Taking Operation Artemis conducted by the EU in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2003 as its focus, this paper aims to analyse the dynamics behind ESDP activism in Africa. Relative ESDP activism towards Africa presents a challenge to the researchers to understand how and why ESDP actions became possible as the region was once seen as the prerogative of the member states themselves to take action regarding peace and security.
It is argued that the case reveals an interesting example of Europeanization as it initially owed much to the reluctance of France to take individual action in the DRC and the indifference or weakness of other international actors, mainly NATO, the USA and the UN respectively. Therefore, first of all, the case demonstrates the importance of tacit approval of or external recognition by the actors in the international arena for the EU to improve itself as an actor in the realm of peace and security. Second, the engagement of the EU in the DRC and Africa, through Operation Artemis and other actions thereafter draws attention to the significance of the social factors, such as expectations, credibility, learning, and based on the interview data, a certain degree of mentality change, even on the part of large member states, i.e. France and Britain.

Last modified: Friday, 31 August 2007
idD410701ProgrammeR7  +23May2007  ©UACES 2007