Cross-pillar politics: functional unity and institutional fragmentation of EU foreign policies

Abstract:

This article explores the key functional and institutional dynamics of EU foreign politics. It argues that the original pillar design of the Maastricht Treaty, which separated EU foreign policies into two only loosely connected pillars, has over time been replaced by a cross-pillar politics setting. This cross-pillarization has been the result of the pressure emanating from the functional indivisibility of this policy area. The article identifies a specific allocation function of EU foreign policies, namely the provision of policies that establish patterns of inclusion and exclusion for the EU polity and, thereby, gives shape to an emergent EU sovereignty. Notwithstanding this functional unity of the policy area, EU foreign policies are characterized by a complex and highly fragmented institutional structure. The article provides a detailed empirical study on this institutional fragmentation by focusing on the relations within the legislative triangle - the Council, the Commission, the European Parliament - in EU decision-making.

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