Adjusting to Europe: The Impact of the European Union on National Institutions and Policies

Abstract

Adjusting to Europe provides lively coverage of the impact of Europe on national policies. With contributions from some of the leading writers on European politics and public policy--including Philippe Schmitter, Stanford University; Jeremy Richardson, University of Essex; Helen Wallace, University of Sussex; and Giandomenico Majone, European University Institute, Florence--the volume delivers an exciting analysis of the policy-making process.

The notion of the European Union is paradoxical: its regulatory powers are immense but its redistributive functions are negligible; its decisions penetrate all aspects of economic and social life, yet Brussels has no local administration or tribunals and no controllers capable of guaranteeing the correct and faithful implementation of the regulations.

Exploring the means through which this paradox is confronted, Adjusting to Europe examines the nature of policy-making at Community level and discusses the implications of the specific nature of European institutions for bargaining group mobilization and policy style. It then studies how the three major nation states have adjusted their policy processes and institutions to the European challenges. Finally, it considers the impact of community decisions in three areas: industrial, competition and social policy.

Library of Congress subject headings for this publication: Political planning. European Union countries. European Union.

Some alternative futures for the European polity and their implications for European public policy / Philippe C. Sclunitter -- EU policy-making : a garbage can or an anticipatory and consensual policy style? / Sonia Mazey and Jeremy Richardson -- Relations between the European Union and the British administration / Helen Wallace -- German administrative interaction and European union : the fusion of public policies / Wolfgang Wessels and Dietrich Rometsch -- French central government and the European political system : change and adaptation since the Single Act / Christian Lequesne -- Which social policy for Europe? / Giandomenico Majone -- Europe between market and power : industrial policies - specialization, technology, competition and foreign trade / Elie Cohen -- The impact of Europe on national policies : Italian anti-trust policy / Giuliano Amato