The Long Arm of Whitehall Post-Brexit: Evidence from the Common Assembly (1952-1956)

Abstract

This article provides an analysis of the institutional design (creation and form) of the administrative organisation in the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community 1952 - 1956 (precursors of the European Parliament and European Union, respectively). Based on a set of theoretical expectations grounded in institutional theory approaches, the article provides a historical analysis of the choices made for the administrative organisation in the Common Assembly including the role of the UK. The article studies the UK’s behaviour as a non-member of the EU and, thus, provides insights into possible British behaviour after Brexit. It concludes that even on issues of European integration which are of low saliency for the EU, the UK may step in and try to shape the course of future European integration. While the article is based on historical data, the analytical framework anchors it in the political science literature of the European Union.