Category Archives: Institutional Reform

The Myth of Exceptional Europe: The Failure of EU Foreign Policy

The notion of the European Union being an exceptional international actor is well established in the literature and dates from the very inception of ‘Europe’ as being a continental peace project. In today’s literature, while a number of variations on the theme exist, the dominant model is that of the Union as a ‘normative power’.Continue reading “The Myth of Exceptional Europe: The Failure of EU Foreign Policy”

The future of intergovernmentalism

Many Europeans are hoping that the (presumed) victory of Francois Hollande in Sunday’s presidential election in France will be the start of a new, less austerity-obsessed approach to Europe’s current crisis. But change in the Elysee will not address an equally important development in recent years — the declining role of community institutions in favourContinue reading “The future of intergovernmentalism”

The EU and Fundamental Rights: Perspectives on the EU-ECHR relationship

This contribution might be of interest : The European Court of Human Rights and the Law of the European Union, Including the Charter: A Subtle Control between Adjustments of Systems and Mutual Influences The French version of this paper can be found at http://ssrn.com/abstract=2044855. It will be published in L’Union européenne et les droits fondamentaux:Continue reading “The EU and Fundamental Rights: Perspectives on the EU-ECHR relationship”

Francois Hollande upsets Fiscal Treaty apple cart

By proposing that the EU adopt a new “growth pact” alongside the new Fiscal Treaty, French presidential candidate (and likely winner) Francois Hollande has dramatically shifted the politics of Eurozone reform. See report here. Critics of the Fiscal Treaty’s exclusive focus on budget discipline will welcome this move, but it seriously complicates the Irish government’s planning forContinue reading “Francois Hollande upsets Fiscal Treaty apple cart”