The role of small states in the European Union

Book abstract:

This book looks at the role of smaller states, deals with the important criteria of distribution and redistribution of EU budgetary expenditures in the key areas of agriculture and structural funds and explains how smaller states promote their interest more effectively than larger states. It empirically tests Peter J. Katzenstein's work on the characteristics of smaller states in Western Europe, looking at whether these characteristics impact on their behaviour in the European Union. The author argues that size is a significant variable in explaining the behaviour of smaller states in the decision-making process of the European Union. Focussing on the interaction between smaller states in the EU will become increasingly important because, excepting Poland, the potential Member States are defined as small.

This case study compares the behaviour of small states to that of the larger states in the areas of the CAP and Regional Policy, and is based on nine years research from 1986, when Spain and Portugal entered the EU, to 1994, which was before Austria, Finland and Sweden joined. Seven of the Member States during this time come within the scope of the study: Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Belgium, Portugal and Greece. The behaviour of these is compared to the other, larger, Member States. The CAP and Regional Policy have been chosen because the CAP is one of the oldest policies of the EU, while Regional Policy is more recent. They also contrast in the level of interest from Member States: all Member States are interested in the CAP, while the interest in Regional Policy varies from state to state. The conclusion drawn from the research provides a modification of Katzenstein's approach.

The author, currently at the University of Iceland, has based this publication on her PhD thesis, completed at the University of Essex in 1999.

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