EU Institutions Research Articles

No fences, good neighbors: measuring and explaining integration in European cross-border regions

ABSTRACT EU cross-border regions are defined as living laboratories of European integration by scholars and EU institutions. Nonetheless, on the research agenda of EU studies, the study of integration in cross-border regions is not central. Moreover, the dearth of explanatory research has hampered a comprehensive understanding of the determinants of cross-border integration. This article fills these gaps conceptually, theoretically, and empirically. It introduces a new conceptualization anchored in classic integration theories and a new measurement of integration in all 2014–2020 Interreg A programmes. Furthermore, by drawing on a post-functionalist framework and based on multiple linear regression analysis, the study shows that identity pressures, particularly linguistic proximity and a pro-European sentiment, and contextual effects, notably regional authority, are significantly positively correlated with cross-border integration, all other things being equal. The paper thus not only reveals to what extent cross-border regions are integrated but also which explanatory factors are associated with cross-border integration.

Migration agencies’ visual performance within the Border spectacle. The case of EU and Canadian institutions

As images of international mobility circulate quickly and widely through digital and social media, they form a fundamental part of the discursive formations around border policies and material migration practices. Through a multi-modal visual analysis of the Twitter images accompanying the post of the four major migration institutions in the EU and Canada, this article explores in a comparative perspective how their visual narratives interact with the broader migration narrative across the two contexts. The study findings show that EUAA, FRONTEX, CBSA, and IRCC participate in the border spectacle as leading actors, and their visual communication while allows them to reinforce some of their respective migration governance key messages and display their multiple organizational identities at the same time enables the concealment of some of the critical themes of the EU and Canada migration governance.

Cooperation between national courts and EU institutions in competition law cases

The article explores the interplay between national courts and European Union institutions in the context of competition law enforcement of rules enshrined in Articles 101 and 102 TFEU. Cooperation between national competition authorities and national courts on one hand and EU institutions on the other hand is crucial for ensuring the effective and consistent application of competition rules. The article deals with the mechanisms of this cooperation. It examines the role of the European Commission and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in providing guidance to national competition authorities and national courts. The article underscores the importance of a cohesive approach to competition law enforcement that is applied by national institutions of the EU member states. The concept and meaning of legal security in criminal law is well defined by Professor Jadwiga Potrzeszcz who states that "legal security is a state achieved by law established in general, and in particular by means of criminal law, in which human life’s goods and interests are protected in the most comprehensive and effective possible manner (and) harmonizes properly with the most important functions of criminal law, namely with a protective function and a guarantee function." (Potrzeszcz, 2018, p. 301) In accordance with the aforementioned definition, the author aims to introduce Criminal Codes that were in effect in the territory of present-day Slovakia, shedding light on whether they were guarantees of legal security in the state or not, i.e., whether they protected "human life’s goods and interests in the most comprehensive and effective possible manner."

The eu’s policy towards modernizing the legislative framework on anti-corruption anti-corruption reforms in bulgaria

This article explores the EU’s anti-corruption legislation and policy framework, with a focus on Bulgarian reforms. It reviews key EU directives and institutions involved in combating corruption, and assesses Bulgaria’s progress and alignment with EU standards. The study examines the successes and challenges of Bulgarian anti-corruption measures through comparative analysis and case studies, offering insights into the effectiveness of these initiatives. Key EU bodies such as the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) are highlighted. Key terms include EU legislation, anti-corruption policy, Bulgaria, judicial reforms, and EU directives.

‘Pooling and Sharing’ and ‘Permanent Structured Cooperation’ as the Current EU’s Defense and Security Integration Modes

ABSTRACT When an urgent response in international relations is needed, the EU institutions and Member States’ governments face a deficiency of effective and practical mechanisms in security cooperation. Developing autonomous programs and concepts that address this dilemma, preventing duplication of endeavors and investments, and maximizing cost-effectiveness by broadening military-political consultations on all issues of common concern is challenging. This article analyses the path and logic of EU security integration in the recent decade. In this context, the origins and goals of the pooling and sharing concept are essential to analyze the continuity of security integration, where the Council’s introduction of Permanent Structured Cooperation in defense and security is an important step forward. Therefore, this article will investigate whether and how P&S and PESCO have been related and complemented, even though both differ in the prism of aims, logic, decision-making processes, and funding. Due to budgetary throwbacks in recent decades and the war in Ukraine intensified after February 2022, EU Member States’ governments might evaluate their approach to the level of engagement in common security programs.

Stakeholders and impact (engagement) in EU digital communication strategies during the COVID-19 vaccination campaign

The European Union has navigated numerous complex and multifaceted crises in recent years, including Brexit, refugee challenges, and economic turmoil. The COVID-19 pandemic has added a global-scale event with significant implications, elevating public health protection as a central priority for the EU. This study aims to examine the personalization (stakeholders involved), impact, and digital engagement resulting from diverse communication strategies on Twitter during the COVID-19 vaccination campaign by key EU institutions. Employing a primarily quantitative approach, the research conducts a content analysis that categorizes both quantitative and qualitative elements to explore various variables and engagement indicators in the official accounts of the European Commission, European Parliament, and European Council. The findings suggest that, while the vaccination campaign saw a substantial volume of posts from these profiles, they fell short in engaging, mobilizing, and attracting audiences on Twitter, highlighting enduring challenges in EU message management and dissemination, as identified in previous studies.

One Health approach: a transdisciplinary paradigm in exploring the possible connections between climate change, uncertainty, and fertility

The article outlines the One Health concept as a transdisciplinary approach to addressing the significant public health threats resulting from the accelerated pace of climate change. The authors analyse climate change's direct and indirect effects on human health, examining the potential impact on fertility and birth rates. They explore the relationship between uncertainty for the future, deriving from climate risk too, and the choice to preserve the oocytes for nonmedical reasons. Additionally, the paper underscores the crucial role of the EU Institution in operationalizing the One Health approach via an extensive policy framework. It specifically examines the EU Nature Restoration Law, emphasising the safeguarding and rehabilitating of biodiversity to provide co-benefits for human health and climate change adaptation.

DYNAMICS OF THE EU STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THE EUROPEAN INTEGRATION OF UKRAINE

This research covers the analysis of changes in the strategic communications of the European Union regarding the European integration of Ukraine during 2000-2023. Specifically, it pays attention to the reactions of key EU officials to significant political events and foreign policy challenges. Having used the semantic analysis of official documents and speeches, the study presents the evolution of approaches and perspectives, revealing the hidden strategies, intentions, and ideological influences that shape the EU policy. The analysis emphasizes the growing importance of Ukraine in the strategic plans of the EU, while the geopolitical context significantly affects the European integration process. Examining the communication activity of the main EU institutions since 2022, the study has revealed specific messages regarding Ukraine's prospects for becoming a member of the EU, recognizing the successes in carrying out reforms and the country’s efforts to achieve the goals underlying its status as a candidate for membership.

Making Sense of Interlinkages in EU Marine Environment Legislation: Unearthing Effectiveness

Crises such as water quality, pollution, climate change, overfishing, biodiversity, energy, waste, and carbon sequestration mean that legislation protecting the marine environment is under intense pressure to be effective and to demonstrate positive results in a vast array of public and private spheres. Thus far, scholarship of EU marine environmental law has been focused primarily on (i) interaction with international agreements (ii) spatial/jurisdictional studies (iii) analysis of new laws, plans and programmes (iv) principles (e.g. good environmental status, precautionary approach, polluter pays) (v) CJEU case analysis (vi) enforcement (vii) specific issues (plastics, litter…). However, over the years the mass constituted by the EU marine environment acquis has grown ever-larger, leading to risks of poor coordination, over-regulation in some areas and lack of regulation in others. By triangulating complementary investigatory methodologies, this study teases out systemic, diachronic and legilinguistic interlinkages—within and across key instruments as well as EU institutions, bodies and agencies. Our results provide avenues for policymakers nationally and at EU level to improve the legibility and coherence of marine environmental regulation—to the benefit of citizens and the wider body of stakeholders, and, ultimately, to benefit the marine world.

The Main Security Challenges and Threats in the Western Balkans and Possible Model for Solving Them in the Process of European Integration

In a narrower sense, within the geo-political jargon of the European Union, the term “Western Balkans” is used alongside the term “Southeast Europe”. The Western Balkans encompasses the former Yugoslav countries of Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Kosovo, excluding Slovenia but including Albania. After the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia, objective reasons emerged that prompted the need for new forms of cooperation between the new and existing countries in order to promote reconciliation and stabilise the Western Balkans. NATO and the EU played a predominant role in this process, along with certain Member States of these international organisations. The aggression by Russia against Ukraine on 24th February 2022, the situation in the Middle East, and the complexity of relations between China and the United States regarding Taiwan have compelled all European countries to recognise that these conflicts pose an immediate threat to European security. Analysing the foreign policy aspects and their impact on regional security, it is essential to highlight that the Western Balkans is characterised by weak governance, a fragile civil society, and geopolitical disputes. These internal and regional factors make the region highly susceptible to local and external disinformation campaigns. On the other hand, China represents a significant global partner for Serbia, and it is important to point out that since 2016, investments from China have been accelerating and also that in the period from 2016 to 2023, about 96% of the total investments were made, a total of 5.3 billion euros, and that in each of those years, China was among the five most important investors in Serbia (Politika, 7th May 2024). As the most influential state economically and politically in the Western Balkans, Serbia has the potential to influence other countries in the region toward alternative centres of power. The latest NATO Strategic Concept, adopted in Madrid in 2022, emphasises the strategic importance of the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region for the Alliance, and NATO has expressed its readiness to continue supporting the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of interested countries in these regions. The Berlin Process (BP) is an intergovernmental initiative aimed at connecting the Western Balkan countries (WB6) with the European Union and facilitating the development of mutual relations based on European values. The focus of the process lies in high-level cooperation between WB6 officials and their EU partners. It also involves EU institutions, international financial institutions, civil society, youth, and businesses in the region. One of the significant advantages of the Berlin Process is the financing of planned and assumed commitments from EU funds, unlike most other initiatives where states finance their participation from their own budgets.

National Parliaments in the European Union – Toward a More Active Role?

The Lisbon Treaty created different possibilities for national parliaments to secure their greater involvement in the overall functioning of the EU and in the law-making process at the European level. Moreover, it was the first time that an EU Treaty specifically acknowledged the role of national parliaments in the EU. Among these novelties probably the most important concerned the Early Warning Mechanism that offers to national parliaments the possibility of examining new legislative proposals from the EU for compliance with the concept of subsidiarity through the so-called yellow card and orange card procedures. The possibility for national parliaments to make more active contributions at the European level also exists inside the informal political dialogue framework that is an important channel of cooperation among EU institutions.

Under Which Conditions Do Populist Governments Use Unpolitics in EU Decision-Making

Until recently, we knew very little about the role of populist governments in EU decision-making. The “crucial case” of refugee distribution within the EU demonstrated that their behaviour was ruled by unpolitics: they rejected formal and informal rules of decision-making if these were not conducive to their preferred outcome, they rejected traditional means of ensuring compromises, and they rejected solutions to perpetuate crises. However, to what extent is unpolitics a phenomenon unique to migration—an area prone to (nativist) populist capture? This thematic issue compares the behaviour of populist governments in the Council of the EU across different policy areas. The goal is to better understand under which conditions unpolitics is more likely to manifest in EU decision-making. We argue that unpolitics is intrinsically linked to vote-seeking strategies, where populist governments use EU decision-making to mobilise domestic audiences. Hence, unpolitics is more prone to “high gain” and “low risk” issues, since they can be more easily politicised. Unpolitics is also more likely to manifest in venues that act as a tribune, where populist actors can directly speak to domestic audiences. Finally, since unpolitics relies on the mobilisation of voters, it is essentially a two-level game largely determined by domestic political and socioeconomic conditions. Overall, we see that, although the EU institutions have proved relatively resilient, unpolitics is gradually unsettling and hollowing out norms, institutions, and discourses.

Sources of law of the European Union: concepts and specifics

The article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of the sources of law of the European Union. It is emphasized that the quantitative and qualitative specificity of the sources of law in the European Union is determined by the uniqueness of its legal system, which determines the diversity of their classification, hierarchy and application at the national and supranational levels. It is noted that the most widespread in modern scientific literature is the dichotomous division of the law of the European Union into primary and secondary, in connection with which the sources of «primary» and «secondary» EU law are distinguished. At the same time, the primary law of the EU includes, first of all, the fundamental, defining principles and norms for the European Union, enshrined in the founding treaties of the EU, the EU Charter of Rights, as well as international treaties concluded both by the European Union and the EU member states, and secondary law of the European Union includes norms issued by EU institutions in the form of regulations, directives, resolutions, etc., and which must correspond to the sources of primary law. The basis of the sources of law of the European Union is the common interest of the European peoples, their common valuable assets, which are laid at the basis of their progressive development. This feature refers primarily to the EU Constituent Treaties as international legal acts, which directly express the will and interests of all the states participating in them. At the same time, it also finds its indirect manifestation in the relevant legal acts of supranational EU institutions (European Parliament, European Commission, Council of the EU, etc.), which by their legal nature rather have a regional character, because they are not international and national legal acts in the classical meaning. At the same time, the legal acts of such institutions of the European Union, by their legal characteristics, are designed to ensure a stable relationship between the norms of its Constituent Treaties and legal acts of the EU member states and, in this way, the relationship of the supranational legal system of the European Union as an integration association of European states with the national legal systems that are part of it. As a result of research the following conclusions are made: 1. The system of sources of law formed in the European Union is directly interconnected with the features of the legal system of the EU as an integration association of sovereign states, characterized by the presence of supranational power institutions common to them, authorized to adopt regulatory and legal acts that are binding on the entire territory of the EU. The dual nature of the legal system of the European Union, which combines international legal and national contexts, determines the specificity of the hierarchical structure of the sources of EU law, the highest level of which belongs to the EU Constituent Treaties, primarily the Treaty on the European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. At the same time, the hierarchy of sources of EU law is most clearly manifested at the level of legal acts of primary and secondary EU law, as well as legal acts of the authorities of EU member states, which must comply with the mandatory norms of primary and secondary EU law. 2. The specificity of the sources of the law of the European Union is manifested primarily in the special nature of their spatial and subject action, the differentiated order of their adoption, putting them into effect, implementation of its norms into the national legal systems of the EU member states, in the combination of precedents and normativelegal foundations in the legal regulation of social relations, as well as in the common axiological basis of the legal development of the EU member states, the content of which is embodied within the entire system of sources of law of the European Union. Key words: sources of law, the European Union, sources of primary law, sources of secondary law, judicial precedents, founding treaties.

Role of the Copernicus Satellite Programme in Building the Resilience of European Supply Chains: Results of a Delphi Study

Abstract The paper aims to analyse the challenges European supply chains face in the context of satellite communications (specifically, in the Copernicus programme) amidst geopolitical and pandemic disruptions. It focuses on identifying factors and barriers and recommended solutions to enhance resilience in these supply chains. The study employs a comprehensive approach, incorporating Delphi surveys, a literature review, and the STEEPED analysis. Experts from the satellite communications field participated in the Delphi survey, and the study scrutinised the impact of Delphi theses on various stages of supply chains. STEEPED analysis was used to identify factors enhancing the resilience of European supply chains in satellite communications. An analysis of their validity and uncertainty was also carried out. The research highlights the factors influencing supply chain resilience within satellite communications, emphasising the importance of coping with uncertainty, shocks, and disruptions. The study presents valuable recommendations to strengthen supply chain resilience amid infrastructural and geopolitical challenges. This research enriches insights into building resilience strategies for European supply chains operating within intricate and uncertain environments. By analysing the role of the Copernicus programme and Earth observation data, the paper contributes to the theoretical framework, providing essential knowledge for managing supply chains in a dynamic and complex environment. The study’s recommendations offer practical guidance for EU institutions overseeing the Copernicus programme and its users. By effectively leveraging Copernicus and Earth observation data, stakeholders can enhance their analysis methods. These insights enable practical actions to be taken, ensuring the continuity and stability of European supply chains amidst challenging global scenarios.

Introduction: Future‐proofing policies – How foresight shapes European Union governance

AbstractIntroducing this issue, the present article notes how the growing political importance given to foresight in EU governance has so far only sparked limited interest among scholars of EU law and policy‐making. To address this gap, the article starts by clarifying concepts and defining the key terminology at the intersection between (strategic) foresight and EU governance ‘in the law’ (involving societal actors in law‐making processes) and ‘through law’ (governmental actors steering society via law). It then offers a comparative discussion of the main insights of the contributions to the issue, highlighting how and why foresight has become institutionalised and how it operates across EU institutions today. In the concluding section, the article turns to the future and calls for more research into how foresight shapes EU governance, setting a research agenda for the study of foresight as a practice informing law‐ and policy‐making in the European Union.

Revisiting liberal intergovernmentalism in CFSP: preference formation and the EEAS

ABSTRACT Liberal intergovernmentalism (LI) posits that member states’ preferences are domestically shaped and align with the positions of the largest states. However, during EEAS negotiations, major states had divergent views on Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) integration, risking nonagreement. Despite the inability to counter external threats effectively, states prioritised sovereignty and national interests. This paper, based on interviews with member states and EU institution representatives involved in the bargaining process, evaluates LI’s applicability to CFSP integration. It examines the preference formation of France, Germany, and Spain during the creation (2002–2003) and design (2010) of the EEAS, the last revolution in the institutional framework of the CFSP and the most innovative body established by the Treaty of Lisbon (2009). The study contributes theoretically and empirically to understanding LI. Since member states follow an exogenous but not liberal preference formation process, it concludes that LI should be revised.

Variations in the intensity of the securitization narratives at the EU level: securitizing the European refugee crisis

This paper examines the narratives of the European Council, European Commission, and European Parliament regarding the European refugee crisis. Although the relevant scholarly research suggests that the EU Institutions held different perspectives about the refugee crisis, this paper argues that there was no such a clash of perspectives. This paper builds on the Copenhagen School’s securitization framework as complemented with subsequent methodological tools to support the author’s arguments. The findings suggest that despite the similarity in the views held by the main EU Institutions considering the refugees’ influx, there was a variation in the intensity of their securitizing narratives. Theoretically, this study develops an understanding of the importance of the securitization narratives’ intensity. Methodologically, this study introduces the Securitization Narratives Continuum, a research tool that facilitates the assessment of securitization. Empirically, this is the first study to interview and take into account the opinions of the securitizing actors.

EU and Its Member States: Where Does the Scepticism for the Singapore Convention on Mediation Come from?

The Singapore Convention on Mediation was created with the purpose of harmonizing the enforcement regime for international settlement agreements resulting from mediation. This essay seeks to determine why the European Union has not signed the Convention yet and pinpoint exactly where the scepticism towards the Convention is coming from. To achieve this outcome, it considers the main objections of EU member states and different EU institutions expressed at the drafting stage of the Convention and more recently, identifying the most significant ones: competency and autonomy. The possibility of the dispute resolution and business community changing this attitude is also explored. Finally, the essay seeks to highlight the importance of the EU signing the Convention and speculates on the future of the Convention depending on the action taken.

EU Macro-Regional Strategy in the Adriatic and Ionian Region: A Territorial Perspective on the EU Enlargement Policy

ABSTRACT Policies of territorial cooperation, including macro-regional strategies, have been a crucial component in the making of the EU space, and constitute an element of the approach adopted by the Union towards its neighbouring countries. Based on the results of in-depth interviews with 37 stakeholders from different countries and EU institutions, the article explores the potentialities and limits of the European Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) to contribute to the EU enlargement towards the Western Balkan countries. Despite the limits that still hinder the full potential of the strategy, we argue that a de-centred perspective may contribute to overcoming the stalemate of the enlargement process, as long as the potentiality of a territorial approach is fully recognized and boosted.

The role of sub-national actors in coordinative Europeanisation: insights from the digitalisation of asylum services

AbstractCoordinative Europeanisation is a powerful frame to explain the rapid response of EU institutions in times of permanent emergency. So far, though, little is known about sub-national actors’ role in this process. Moving away from a state-centric approach, this article investigates the role of sub-national actors through the case study of the digital provision of services to asylum seekers. Given the field’s high salience and state-centric nature, this article elucidates the critical role of European sub-national actors, particularly at the municipality level, to accelerate the digital provision of services to refugees. Comparing 3 European cities (Paris, Palermo and Malaga), we argue that sub-national actors can play a role in coordinative Europeanisation and that 2 main mechanisms may enable it. In the cases observed, discursive coordination around humanitarian duty facilitated the emergence of similar digital solutions across countries. Subsequently, horizontal and vertical networking was used by sub-national actors to legitimise their actions and enhance their anchoring in processes of coordinative Europeanisation.