Free Trade Association Research Articles

The Contribution of ESG Information to the Financial Stability of European Banks

Nowadays more and more economic actors publish information regarding sustainability, through economic (E), social (S), and governance (G) performance. In the case of banks, ESG performance is important as they affect most of the industries through their investments and loans. In this research our aim is to investigate the relationship between financial stability and ESG performance. We applied panel regressive methods during the analysis. The sample consisted of stock exchange listed lending institutions (243 banks) from the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Our results show that ESG performance reduced the ratio of non-performing loans significantly. Furthermore, the positive effect of regulatory capital has been confirmed. Consequently, we can assert that the economic, social, and governance performance have beneficial impacts on financial stability. Therefore, the consideration of these pieces of information should be important for the investors and the regulators as well.

Horizontal Direct Effect of the Charter in EU Law: Ramifications for the European Economic Area

In a consistent line of jurisprudence, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has now stated that, as a last resort, provisions of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (the Charter) can have horizontal direct effect. More specifically, this possibility occurs when a provision of the Charter has been given specific expression to from a directive. Whilst it has long been the case that directives in themselves continue to not have horizontal direct effect in EU law, there is no doubting that the horizontal direct effect of provisions of the Charter, which in turn are given specific expression to from a directive, is increasingly being found. This possibility of horizontal direct effect of the Charter is of striking significance for European Economic Area (EEA) law for two reasons. Firstly, there is no doctrine of direct effect in EEA law according to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Court; and secondly, the Charter is not incorporated into EFTA pillar of EEA law in any way. Given the potential for the widening divergence between EU law and EEA law on the existence of horizontal direct effect of the Charter when given specific expression to from a directive, with a homogeneity gap opening up, this article considers the ramifications for the EEA of such advances in EU law, and proposes some solutions for how these EU legal developments can be responded to within EEA law.

ДРУГИЙ СТАНДАРТ УКРАЇНИ НА БІТУМИ НАФТОВІ ДОРОЖНІ В’ЯЗКІ: ЗМІСТ ТА ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ

The first Ukrainian standard ДСТУ 4044 “Viscous petroleum road bitumens. Technical conditions” was implemented in 2002. According to its content and list of indicators, it met the level of the oil refining industry of Ukraine and the state of the road industry. In addition to conventional indicators, it included additional indicators of adhesion and mass content of paraffins. The indicator for paraffin remained unregulated, because there was neither acceptable method nor necessary equipment, and in generally an intention of manufacturers and users to apply it. The standard referred to in the article differs from the previous one by the principle of assigning indicators and their list. This is largely due to Ukraine’s accession to the European Free Trade Association and the deepening of scientific knowledge on predicting the behavior of bitumen under different conditions and their impact on the properties of asphalt concrete. Accordingly, the limits of normalization of bitumen grades on the depth of needle penetration were changed, which led to an increase in amount of grades from 4 to 5. Using the dependence of the penetration index on the softening point temperature, its new normative values are ordered. The Fraas breaking temperature provided by the standard is slightly lower than that normalized EN 12591 which is due the climatic conditions of Ukraine. The rate of adhesion of bitumen to the surface is normalized, which quantitatively characterizes the adhesion of bitumen to the mineral substrate, the least favorable for interaction. It is proposed to determine the indicators of technological aging by the RTFOT method. The standard contains additional indicators to be determined according to the harmonized European standards ДСТУ EN 12607-1 and ДСТУ EN 13302 (methods for determining the dynamic viscosity). Additional standards include equal viscous heating temperatures of bitumen in the production of asphalt mixtures and their compaction. The first is the temperature, which corresponds to a bitumen viscosity of 0.5 Pas, the second is 10 Pas. Elongation at a temperature of 0 ºC is included in the standard as a certain analogue of the breaking temperature. Based on the fact that at this time the next European standard is in the final stage before approval, the values of additional indicators can be included into this standard after adjusting their values with European ones based on the characteristics of bitumen used in Ukraine. Keywords: bitumen, depth of needle penetration, softening point temperature, adhesion, ductility, cohesion, heating.

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis among migrants in Europe, 1995 to 2017

ObjectivesThe proportion of tuberculosis (TB) cases occurring in migrants in Europe is increasing. Extrapulmonary TB poses challenges in diagnosis and treatment and causes serious morbidity and mortality, yet its extent in migrant populations is unclear. We assessed patterns of extrapulmonary TB in migrants across the European Union (EU)/European Free Trade Association (EFTA). We investigated the proportion of extrapulmonary TB cases among migrants versus non-migrants, and variations by specific site of disease, reporting European region, and migrant region of origin. MethodsWe carried out a cross-sectional secondary database analysis, utilizing 23 years of data collected between 1995 and 2017 from the European Surveillance System of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control for 32 EU/EFTA countries. ResultsIn total, 1 270 896 TB cases were included, comprising 326 987 migrants (25.7%) and 943 909 non-migrants (74.3%). Of TB cases among migrants, 45.2% (n = 147 814) were extrapulmonary compared to 21.7% (n = 204 613) among non-migrants (p < 0.001). Lymphatic, bone/joint and peritoneal/digestive TB were more common among migrant than non-migrant extrapulmonary cases. A lower proportion of extrapulmonary TB was seen in Eastern Europe (17.4%, n = 98 656 of 566 170) and Southern Europe (29.6%, n = 62 481 of 210 828) compared with Western (35.7%, n = 89 498 of 250 517) and Northern Europe (41.8%, n = 101 792 of 243 381). Migrants from South-East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa were at highest risk of extrapulmonary disease, with 62.0% (n = 55 401 of 89 353) and 54.5% (n = 38 327 of 70 378) of cases, respectively, being extrapulmonary. ConclusionsAmong TB cases in the EU/EFTA, extrapulmonary disease is significantly more common in migrants than in non-migrants. There is a need to improve clinical awareness of extrapulmonary TB and to integrate its detection into screening programmes.

Square Pegs and Round Holes (Continued): Financial Market Surveillance Authorities and Internal Market Association

AbstractAfter the financial crisis of 2008, the European Union (‘EU’) not only increased its substantial legislation regarding financial services, but also built up a strong and unified system of financial market supervision. In particular, central surveillance authorities were created. These were given far-reaching competences with regard to substituting dysfunctional national authorities or players in the financial services sector. The three European Economic Area (‘EEA’) and European Free Trade Association (‘EFTA’) States—Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway—participate in the EU's internal market through their membership of the EEA. In order to continue participating on an equal footing in the internal market for financial services and to honour their duty to maintain homogeneity, the EEA EFTA States also had to incorporate the new institutional setup regarding financial services supervision. This obligation, however, in particular relating to certain intrusive powers of the new surveillance authorities, collided with some constitutional reservations, above all of the two Nordic EEA EFTA States. This article will show how these conflicting aims could be merged into a system that on the one hand guarantees the unified overall approach needed for strengthened surveillance of the internal market for financial services, and on the other hand safeguards certain constitutional reservations of the EEA EFTA States. It also looks at how third countries that do not (fully) participate in the internal market, such as the United Kingdom and Switzerland, are likely to be treated in this context by the EU.

Regions and immigration in advanced democracies

ABSTRACT Immigration has become a cleaving issue in contemporary politics. Ranging from forced migration and climate-related population displacement to more mundane intra-European Union/European Free Trade Association (EU/EFTA) freedom of movement, the immigration challenge takes several forms. Whilst national and supranational institutions have mobilized on the issue, subnational authorities in federal and regionalized countries have become important actors shaping integration policies and mediating their effects. Beyond their growth in formal competences, regional authorities underline how the triangular relationship between community, solidarity and territory matters. All three facets affect the integration of immigrants, with repercussions throughout the policy–politics–polity triptych.

How is migration background considered in the treatment and care of people? A comparison of national dementia care guidelines in Europe

BackgroundPeople with a migration background are vulnerable to dementia. Due to problems such as underdiagnosis or access barriers, the care of this population is a public health challenge in Europe. Many countries are issuing care guidelines, but a systematic overview of their references to migration groups is lacking. This study aims to analyze national dementia care guidelines regarding their focus on people with a migration background, what specific actions to ensure healthcare have been undertaken at the national level, and whether recommendations for action are made for this population.MethodsThis study is a systematic analysis of national dementia care guidelines of the EU and EFTA (European Free Trade Association) countries. Using the discourse analysis model by Keller (2011), 43 documents from 24 EU and 3 EFTA countries were systematically screened for migration references via keyword and context analysis. The content of the migration-related section was paraphrased, memos and comments were added, and the individual text passages were coded using the strategy of open coding.ResultsTwenty-seven of the 35 EU and EFTA countries have guidelines or similar documents on care for people with dementia, and 12 refer to migration. Norway, Sweden, and Northern Ireland refer to this topic in detail. The focus of the migration-related guidelines is on the early detection and diagnosis of dementia. The main message is that standardized diagnostic tools such as the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) or the clock test are not suitable for linguistic minorities. Nine countries make recommendations for the care of people with a migration background and dementia, but only Norway, Sweden, and Denmark point to available healthcare services. A key recommendation is that the linguistic and cultural background of people should be considered when selecting diagnostic tests. Several countries refer to the validity of the RUDAS (Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale) for migrants.ConclusionsThe topic of migration plays a subordinate role in the dementia care guidelines of European countries. Almost all countries lack appropriate diagnostic tools and healthcare services for people with a migration background. Consequently, this group is vulnerable to underdiagnosis and a lower level of care.

Annual Report of the Scientific Network on BSE‐TSE 2020

The EFSA Scientific Network on bovine spongiform encephalopathies and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (BSE-TSE) held its 15thmeeting on 7-8October 2020 as a web-meeting. The meeting served as an opportunity to exchange scientific information on BSE-TSE related issues among EU Member States, countries from the European Free Trade Association, EU candidate countries, EFSA, the European Commission and ad hoc participants. In this occasion, ad hoc representation included the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE).The topics discussed included:TSE activities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey, new evidence of the detection of scrapie in goats and the presence of multiple strains in goat scrapie isolates, update on the latest case of CWD in Norway and on the ongoing studies of CWD European isolates; the zoonotic potential of atypical strains of BSE and scrapie. Recent and ongoing the TSE EURL EFSA, OIE and EC activities on TSE were presented, as well as the preliminary results of the 2019 EU TSE summary report. EU candidate countries presented their TSE-related activities.

The Twitter parliamentarian database: Analyzing Twitter politics across 26 countries.

This article introduces the Twitter Parliamentarian Database (TPD), a multi-source and manually validated database of parliamentarians on Twitter. The TPD includes parliamentarians from all European Free Trade Association countries where over 45% of parliamentarians are on Twitter as well as a selection of English-speaking countries. The database is designed to move beyond the one-off nature of most Twitter-based research and in the direction of systematic and rigorous comparative and transnational analysis. The TPD incorporates, in addition to data collected through Twitter’s streaming API and governmental websites, data from the Manifesto Project Database; the Electoral System Design Database; the ParlGov database; and the Chapel Hill Expert Survey. By compiling these different data sources it becomes possible to compare different countries, political parties, political party families, and different kinds of democracies. To illustrate the opportunities for comparative and transnational analysis that the TPD opens up, we ask: What are the differences between countries in parliamentarian Twitter interactions? How do political parties differ in their use of hashtags and what is their common ground? What is the structure of interaction between parliamentarians in the transnational debate? Alongside some interesting similarities, we find striking cross-party and particularly cross-national differences in how parliamentarians engage in politics on the social media platform.

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis among migrants in the EU/EFTA: Implications for policy and practice

Abstract Background The proportion of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the European Union/European Free Trade Association (EU/EFTA) that occur in migrants is increasing. Extrapulmonary TB poses challenges in diagnosis and treatment and causes serious morbidity and mortality. To date, there has been no in-depth exploration of extrapulmonary TB in migrants across Europe. Methods We analysed 22 years of data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's European Surveillance System (TESSy) for 32 EU/EFTA countries between 1995 and 2017. We investigated whether the proportion of TB cases that were extrapulmonary varied between migrants and non-migrants, and whether this varied by a) country/region of origin, b) reporting country/region, and c) site of disease. Results 1,270,896 TB cases were included in the analysis, comprising 326,987 (25.7%) migrants, and 943,909 (74.3%) non-migrants. The proportion of TB that is extrapulmonary is significantly higher in migrants than in non-migrants: 45.2% (n = 147,814) of cases in migrants were extrapulmonary, compared to 21.7% (n = 204,613) in non-migrants (χ2=6.7x104, p &amp;lt; 0.001). A relatively low proportion of extrapulmonary TB was seen in Eastern (17.4%) and Southern (29.6%) Europe compared with Western (35.7%) and Northern (41.8%) Europe, with migrants having a greater proportion of extrapulmonary TB only in Northern/Western Europe. Migrants from South-East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa were at highest risk of extrapulmonary TB, with over half of all cases being extrapulmonary (62.0% and 54.5% respectively). Conclusions Among TB cases in the EU/EFTA, extrapulmonary disease is significantly more common in migrants than non-migrants, which has clinical and policy implications for patient detection and management. There is a need to improve clinical awareness of extrapulmonary TB, integrate detection of extrapulmonary TB into latent TB infection screening programmes, and harmonise data collection on migrant status in health systems. Key messages Migrants in the EU/EFTA are disproportionately affected by extrapulmonary TB compared to non-migrants. This has clinical and policy implications for diagnosis, screening, and data collection.

What Is Economic Globalization Without Trans-boundary Migration?

The world is often regarded as a global village or borderless globe where various countries freely interconnect and interrelate towards achieving a global goal. Globalization has occasioned international cooperation amongst States through the formation of several treaties and international organizations with economic objectives. This article evaluates the law and attitude of States and International organizations towards economically motivated trans-boundary migration. Particular reference is made to World Trade Organization(WTO), European Union(EU), African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and North American Free Trade Association(NAFTA). Findings reveal that the legal and institutional frameworks in support of trans-boundary economic migration are very weak, thereby allowing States’ interest to prevail over the globalization objectives. State practices are geared towards placement of several obstacles, such as imposing criminal sanctions, which limits trans-boundary economic migration. This prejudice is more obvious when the trade in service is a South-North movement of labour. These challenges have led to the irresistible conclusion that economic globalization is but a political fiction yet to take root in reality. It is further contended that, the puzzle of economic globalization cannot be completely fixed, except States fully embrace, accepte and liberalize the missing piece of trans-boundary migration. Globalization, Trans-boundary migration, Economic migration, South-North movement, Trade liberalization.

A Changing and Multi-scalar EU Borderscape: The Expansion of Asylum and the Normalisation of the Deportation of EU and EFTA Citizens

The sorting of individuals is one critical function performed by migration law. These legal regulations are based on dichotomies, such as separating irregular migrants from regular migrants. However, through the multi-scalar management of human mobility, the conflicting coexistence of national and supranational interests decentres these legal binaries. Therefore, migration law devices sort newcomers in a more complex way, giving shape to multilayered and unstable hierarchies of otherness. Using Spain as a case study on migration control changes, this paper addresses the role that migration law enforcement institutions play in cementing and eroding these legal categories. First, it analyses the consequences of the so-called ‘migration crisis’ in enlarging a European asylum system that, until recently, seemingly rests on few countries. Second, it examines the increasing normalisation of the forced return of European Union (EU) (and European Free Trade Association [EFTA]) nationals, which undermine a critical prerogative of the EU citizenship status.

Switzerland-EU Relations: The Bilateral Way in a Fragilized Position

Relations between Switzerland and the European Union are in bad shape and the Swiss are tearing each other apart on this issue. There are two major issues at stake. First, the Swiss government is dithering over whether or not to initial a new Institutional agreement with the European Union (EU), although it was finalized by the negotiators in November 2018. In the event of non-acceptance by Switzerland, the European Union has already announced retaliatory measures. Secondly, in September 2020, Swiss citizens will have to vote on a popular initiative to scrap the agreement on the free movement of persons between Switzerland and the EU. A positive vote would sound the death knell for the bilateral treaties between both entities as they are bound together by a guillotine clause. These difficulties between Switzerland and the EU are certainly not new. But two fresh developments have arisen. On the one hand, the support of the socialists and trade unionists for the bilateral way is waning. On the other hand, the European Union has become less flexible than it previously was. The worst should, logically, be avoided because the Swiss have always been a pragmatic people and solutions are relatively easy to find. But an accumulation of blunders, combined with misperceptions of the actual power relations, could prove fatal. Switzerland, EU external relations, EU external agreements, European Free Trade Association (EFTA), European Economic Area (EEA), Institutional agreement, Free movement of people, immigration, referendum, Brexit

Transboundary crisis management under the volcano: The case of the Icelandic ash cloud

AbstractThis paper discusses the intricacies of external transboundary crises, namely those cross‐border threats whose management requires coordination among EU and non‐EU countries. Specifically, it explores the extent to which European integration theories shed light on the coordination of external transboundary crisis responses by assessing the weight and role of the actor constellations involved in the civil aviation response to the 2010 Icelandic ash cloud crisis. The use of social network analysis as a methodological tool generates novel empirical evidence on the configuration of crisis management structures. The analysis shows that many EU Member States led decision‐making, whereas supranational organizations were instrumental in the coordination of the ash cloud crisis response. The centrality of these bodies contrasts with the peripheral position of most interest groups. This paper also suggests that external transboundary crises present complex management dynamics that distinguish them from generic transboundary threats. For example, the response to the ash cloud crisis was not commanded by the European Economic Area/European Free Trade Association countries where its epicentre was located. The empirical analysis was based on information extracted from a survey to experts involved in the management of this episode, as well as from ten semi‐structured elite interviews.

Analysis of Problems of Kazakhstan’s Economic Integration in the EAEU

At the present stage, to ensure economic security at different levels (both national and regional), for economic growth and sustainable development, one of the important factors is integration processes. At present, integration unions, which include several member states, are acting quite effectively. One of such unions is the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), in comparison other integration unions such as the EU (European Union), the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and some other, EAEU is quite young. However, this union of countries can be called one of the dynamically developing, and nevertheless, in the interaction within the union, a certain imbalance between the member states can be noted, which can be called a serious internal challenge for the EAEU. It is worth noting the economic context of the imbalances in the Union: there is no correlation in macroeconomic indicators (for the majority) between the countries – members of the Union. One of the leading participants in the Eurasian Economic Union, as well as one of the founders is Kazakhstan. It was with at the behest of Kazakhstan that the implementation of this union began. But, after 5.5 years of the functioning of this integration association, the effectiveness of this association gives rise to certain disputes, especially the effectiveness of the union, which calls into question the advisability of Kazakhstan in the composition of this union. The purpose of the article is to analyze the problems of economic integration of Kazakhstan in the Eurasian Economic Union and the possibility of solving them. In the framework of the study of the problem, a scientific approach was used using general scientific methods that were also special, in particular, systematization, theoretical generalization and the method of comparison with the use of statistical analysis. The study defines the concept of integration, reveals the understanding of economic integration from the perspective of different economic schools, using various approaches to understanding this category, defines forms of economic integration and factors defining the integration process, gives a brief disclosure of the essence of the Eurasian Economic Union. The participation of Kazakhstan in the EAEU relative to other participating countries is considered and the main problems are identified, some prospects for Kazakhstan’s participation in the EAEU are considered. The prospects for further research are due to further study of the EAEU problems with respect to the participating countries, for their subsequent study and search for solutions. The instrumental value of the material lies in the possibility of studying problematic issues for further sustainable and effective interaction.

Comparing national dementia plans and strategies in Europe \u2013 is there a focus of care for people with dementia from a migration background?

BackgroundPeople with migration background and dementia are a vulnerable group. Providing care for this group is a public health challenge in Europe. An increasing number of countries are issuing national dementia plans, but a systematic overview of national dementia plans of European countries focusing on care for people with migration background is lacking. This study aims to illustrate how European countries identify the dementia-related needs of people with migration background and whether there are specific healthcare services for them at the national level.MethodsA qualitative analysis of national dementia plans of the EU and EFTA (European Free Trade Association) countries was carried out. Using the discourse analysis model according to Rainer Keller (2011), documents were systematically screened for their relation to migration via keyword and context analysis. The content of the migration-related sections was analyzed using the methods of paraphrasing, memos, comments, and open coding.ResultsTwenty-three of the 35 EU and ETFA countries have a national dementia plan, ten of these documents refer to migration and one country (Austria) has a national dementia plan with a chapter on migration. Eight national dementia plans identify that people with migration background and dementia have special needs, and actions to care for this group are planned in nine countries. However, only Norway, Northern Ireland, and the Netherlands refer to available healthcare services for people with migration background. Overall, the topic of migration plays a subordinate role in the national dementia plans of European countries.ConclusionsThe current lack of migrant-specific healthcare services in almost all European countries may lead to denying the right to appropriate care to a growing population. The topic of migration must be given greater attention in national dementia plans. European countries should develop strategies with specific services that address the needs of people with migration background. To improve comparability at the European level, a common definition of migration is needed. Further studies should include country-specific problems related to dementia and migration.

ЕАЭС: ПРОБЛЕМЫ И ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ

The article explores the experience of the creation and functioning of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the European Economic Community (EEC), the European Union (EU), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The positive and negative experience of these associations in different counties is analyzed.

Imigranci z UE/EFTA w Polsce. Instytucjonalizacja swobodnego przepływu pracowników – realizacja, problemy, bariery

Immigrants from EU/EFTA in Poland. The institutionalization of freedom of movement for workers: implementation, issues, obstacles Poland is gradually transitioning from being a source of migrants to a receiving country, and this applies to two different groups of migrants: third state nationals, and nationals of member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) who arrive in Poland within the freedom of movement for workers. Each of these groups is subject to different legislation, and the present article is concerned with the latter group of migrants: citizens of EU/EFTA states who live and work in Poland. Their number is systematically growing, but it is not known exactly how many EU/EFTA foreigners reside in Poland, as no state institution is in charge of gathering such data; government agencies possess only partial data pertaining to their particular scope of activity. In this article we describe the institutionalization of the freedom of movement process. We present the legal regulations pertaining to freedom of movement, and a map of the bureaus, both Polish and European, associated with the EURES and Solvit networks, tasked with facilitating worker mobility within the EU. We ask whether Poland is implementing the requirements imposed by the EU directive on freedom of movement for workers, or are radical improvements in this area needed. We analyze the administrative and non-institutional obstacles encountered by immigrants from the EU and EFTA as well as the issues met by officials who serve them. We tap from the results of research on the free movement of workers carried out in Poland in 2018.

An Analysis on the Determinants of Agricultural Export due to the FTA: Focused on Korea-EU and Korea-EFTA

Purpose - The global agricultural trade market is an area where practical obstacles exist to simply compare comparative advantages by trading products that reflect the characteristics of each country’s natural and geographical conditions. In particular, agricultural products are not only the characteristics of economic goods like other goods, but also the trade between diverse industries such as food security and sustainable environment preservation, which can be interpreted in various ways. In the case of the European Union (EU), a joint policy on agricultural products is being pursued, and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is also classified as an area where the agricultural market plays a major role. Design/methodology/approach - This study examined the current status of agricultural trade between the EU and the EFTA among the signed free trade agreements and derived determinants for securing the competitiveness of Korea’s agricultural exports. The analysis method was analyzed using the export demand function using the panel data. Findings - Analysis shows that the free trade agreement between the EU and the EFTA has been put into effect, which has a positive impact on exports. It can be interpreted that agricultural products accounted for a relatively high proportion of the total export volume. The export effect is interpreted as a result of the easing of non-tariff barriers in the agricultural sector in addition to tariff rate cuts through the conclusion of the free trade agreement. Research implications or Originality - In order to export Korea’s agricultural products in the future, export expansion measures should be introduced in terms of easing non-tariff barriers in addition to tariffs.

Negotiating ‘outer Europe’: the Trades Union Congress (TUC), transnational trade unionism and European integration in the 1950s

ABSTRACTThe 1950s were a frenetic moment in the European integration process during which the European Economic Community (EEC), the ultimately abortive Free Trade Area (FTA), and subsequently the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) were all negotiated. Trade unions showed keen interest in these schemes; moreover, their own highly institutionalised cooperation suggested they might come to play a key role in shaping them. And yet scholars have argued how divergent traditions and domestic pressures precluded the emergence of a coherent trade union platform on European unity. While not rejecting the structural weaknesses of union internationalism in this regard, this article asks why union centres nevertheless continued to engage with one another on the integration question. Focusing on the British Trade Unions Congress (TUC) and deploying a transnational approach to best understand the interaction between the national and international levels, it shows that union linkages still offered the TUC and its counterparts a valuable chance to learn from and persuade others – and even their governments – of their views, objectives and affairs. Such trade union diplomacy was thus in and of itself valuable despite wider union spats and misgivings, and did at times impact the broader language and approach of the countries involved.