A cause of conflict? : the implications of decision-making changes for the EU's eastwards enlargement

Field, Heather (author)

Changing in voting weights and arrangements in the Council of the European Union (EU) were made by the Nice summit, overcoming one of the hurdles facing the EU's prospective eastwards enlargement. The article examines those changes and why the issue of voting weights and arrangements has been a contentious one in the context of the prospective eastwards enlargement of the EU, as well as some other major considerations facing enlargement. It comments on the applicability and interconnectedness of two independent explanatory theories of integration in the context of the prospective eastwards enlargement. The first is "rational choice" based theory with its emphasis on national and material interests, and the second emphasis is on the importance of ideas and norms and the social construction of reality. It is argued that the contentious nature of decision-making arrangements and related changes is demonstrated by the failure of the member-states to agree on the incorporation of changes necessary to allow eastwards enlargement to be achieved in time for their inclusion in the Amsterdam Treaty. It relate s ideas, norms and more material interests to the major issues facing the prospective eastwards enlargement of the EU. These include the movement of labour and of the Romany population, the unrestricted sale of land, agricultural support, and gender and class equality.

• Language: English
• Keywords: European union, constructivism, decision-making, rationalism, Council of the EU, EU enlargement
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2001
• Number of pages: Str. 55-72, 86, 88
• Numbering: Vol. 4, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-135759
• UDC: 327:061.1EU
• ISSN on article: 1408-6980
• COBISS.SI-ID: 20631645
• Publication date in RUL: 30.03.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of international relations and development
• Shortened title: J. int. relat. & dev.
• Publisher: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre of International Relations
• ISSN: 1408-6980
• COBISS.SI-ID: 76065792

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Vzrok konflikta?

Abstract

Spremembe pri ponderiranju glasov in notranji ureditvi delovanja Sveta Evropske unije (EU), ki so bile sprejete na vrhu v Nici, pomenijo preskok ene od ovir, ki čakajo EU pri širitvi na Vzhod. Članek obravnava te spremembe in postavlja vprašanje, zakaj je vprašanje teže glasov in nove ureditve delovanja Sveta tako sporno v kontekstu prihodnje širitve EU, ukvarja pa se tudi z drugimi pomembnimi vprašanji, ki jih bo prinesla širitev Avtorica komentira možnost uporabe in medsebojno povezanost dveh neodvisnih pojasnjevalnih teorij integracije v luči širitve na Vzhod. Prva je na racionalni izbiri utemeljena teorija, ki poudarja nacionalne in materialne interese, druga pa poudarja pomembnost idej in norm ter družbene konstrukcije resničnosti. Avtorica trdi, da se sporna narava določil o odločanju in drugih sprememb kaže v nesposobnosti držav članic, da bi se dogovorile glede vključitve nujnih sprememb, ki bi omogočile širitev na Vzhod, še v času, ko bi jih lahko vključili v Amsterdamsko pogodbo. Članek povezuje ideje, norme in bolj materialne interese s pomembnimi vprašanji, s katerimi se srečuje EU ob širitvi na Vzhod. Ta vključujejo pretok delovne sile in romskega prebivalstva, neomejeno trgovanje z nepremičninami, subvencije kmetijstvu ter spolno in razredno (ne)enakost.

• Keywords: Evropska unija, konstruktivizem, odločanje, racionalizem, Svet EU, širitev EU