http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/european-union Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:49:51 -0400 Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:49:51 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1645/nationalism-identity-and-public-policy-in-sweden-pursuing-an-elusive-national-identity By Gustaf Forsell - Similarly to many European countries, the Swedish population often perceive their history as an epoch of homogeneity: a time when every Swedish citizen was believed to have had the same ethnic phenotype, spoken the same language, believed in the same God, and shared the same basic values (Gardell, 2011, p. 23). It is embedded in the Swedish national identity, as if it is possible to explain lex naturalis. The notion is expressed on the well-recognised Swedish website Nationalencyklopedin (National Encyclopaedia of Sweden) which argues that Sweden has been ‘an immigration country’ (&... Thu, 01 Jun 2017 10:38 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1645/nationalism-identity-and-public-policy-in-sweden-pursuing-an-elusive-national-identity http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1438/still-cordiale-revisiting-the-entente-cordiale-in-the-context-of-european-security-and-brexit By Paul Hagan - When Britain and France signed what became known as the ‘Entente Cordiale' in 1904, it brought into being an era of mutual cooperation between two neighbours whose past had often made them the best of enemies. The partnership served and survived two World Wars, but when I examined it in its centenary year for this publication back in 2004, relations had frayed. The fog on the channel had been broughtabout by disagreements over the Iraq war and French designs on building a counterweight to the US. However it would seem that in the years since the US-led invasion of Iraq, it would seem that... Wed, 24 Aug 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1438/still-cordiale-revisiting-the-entente-cordiale-in-the-context-of-european-security-and-brexit http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1581/let-them-export-cake-an-examination-of-the-role-of-economic-freedoms-in-fostering-intra-emu-export-growth By Paul Jeffries - This paper investigates the relationship between various types of economic freedom and intra-EMU export growth. Export growth is the primary empirical puzzle that this paper seeks to explicate, and is important because the EMU's inception preceded significant current account differentials that can mainly be attributed to changes in exports, as imports remained relatively constant. The independent variables – all types of economic freedom – were chosen in light of Cerny's theory of the "competition state," which highlights the importance of intra-state competition, theorizing that increased... Thu, 31 Dec 2015 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1581/let-them-export-cake-an-examination-of-the-role-of-economic-freedoms-in-fostering-intra-emu-export-growth http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/936/the-evolution-of-human-rights-law-in-europe-comparing-the-european-court-of-human-rights-and-the-ecj-icj-and-icc By Donna V. Artusy - Human rights protection in Europe evolved significantly over the last century, culminating in the creation of the European Court of Human Rights. Unfortunately, the decisions made by the European Court of Human Rights are not binding and do not serve as precedent for future cases. The court has the potential to hold significantly greater influence over human rights protection, but its institutional structure and guiding doctrine (the European Convention on Human Rights) does not allow for this. Although the Court maintains jurisdiction over a smaller number of states, it has a more significant... Mon, 03 Nov 2014 03:49 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/936/the-evolution-of-human-rights-law-in-europe-comparing-the-european-court-of-human-rights-and-the-ecj-icj-and-icc http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1195/incentive-shock-or-neither-the-impact-of-croatian-accession-on-bosnias-eu-negotiations By Ryan Rosenberg - What are the prospects for European Union accession in Bosnia, a country with a legacy of ethnic conflict and malfunctioning democracy? How might the accession of Croatia to the European Union affect this process? This paper analyses the current state of Bosnian politics through the lens of EU accession and considers the political and economic impact of Croatian accession. A lack of incentive for Bosnian politicians to implement the governmental changes needed for Europeanization—the process of adopting European rules—has created a stagnant and intransigent political climate, one made... Sat, 01 Nov 2014 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1195/incentive-shock-or-neither-the-impact-of-croatian-accession-on-bosnias-eu-negotiations http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1672/the-spanish-financial-crisis-economic-reforms-and-the-export-led-recovery By David C. Wagner - Today, Spanish culture is first and foremost distinguished by its seventeen autonomous regions. During the evolution of civilization in the Iberian Peninsula, cities sprang up along the coastlines with little interaction. The Pyrenees mountain range isolated Spain from France to the north, other mountain ranges made for a natural border in the interior of Spain, and the sea served as a border from the exterior. Distinct cultures arose based on the various climates and inhabitants of the different cities, including a Catalán culture surrounding Barcelona in the northeast, a Gallego culture... Wed, 01 Oct 2014 12:13 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1672/the-spanish-financial-crisis-economic-reforms-and-the-export-led-recovery http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1395/efficient-pricing-of-carbon-in-the-eu-and-its-effect-on-consumers By Michael Lee - A European single market for electricity is modeled to find the optimal portfolio of energy generation technologies in the presence of a carbon tax. The goal is to find the Pareto optimal carbon tax rate such that both carbon emissions and production costs are minimized. Different sources of electricity– namely coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, offshore wind, and solar– are given levelized costs and carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) on a per megawatt-hour (MWh) basis. 20,000 energy portfolios, each with different allocations of the respective generation techniques, are generated via a... Tue, 15 Apr 2014 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1395/efficient-pricing-of-carbon-in-the-eu-and-its-effect-on-consumers http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/883/the-sovereignty-of-the-european-court-of-justice-and-the-eus-supranational-legal-system By Hakan Kolcak - The European legal system has been considered as either an intergovernmental legal system or a supranational one. The intergovernmental order, on the one hand, emphasises that the European Court of Justice should consider the preferences of member-state governments in its decision-making processes. The supranational order, on the other hand, underscores that European law generates its own legal system, therefore, the Court should rule its case law in pursuant of the primary and secondary resources of European law. In this article, it is argued that the European legal system may be recognised as... Fri, 04 Apr 2014 11:46 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/883/the-sovereignty-of-the-european-court-of-justice-and-the-eus-supranational-legal-system http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1086/the-interests-of-minority-and-majority-shareholders-in-the-eu By Angelika Gorak - The recent economic crisis roved to be immensely threatening to the economic equilibrium within the European Union (EU). Beginning in the United States, it then proved its "domino effect" by covering the EU, resulting in so-called 'financial stress' in all the Member States.1 In this context, some possible explanations for the crisis are worth mentioning: unsustainable macroeconomic inequalities , a lack of adequate policies preventing adventurous risk-t aking on the global scale,2 a complete failure in the system of global financial governance and its regulatory framework.3 Many of these explanations... Wed, 01 Jan 2014 07:58 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1086/the-interests-of-minority-and-majority-shareholders-in-the-eu http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/773/is-the-european-commission-too-powerful-neofunctionalism-and-intergovernmentalism-considered By Andrei Constantin - This article highlights the European Commission’s role within the European Union (EU), which has been weakened over time. Through this essay various aspects of the Commission’s power in relation to the structure and procedures of comitology are analyzed utilizing the frameworks provided by the two leading schools of thought on European integration: neofunctionalism and liberal intergovernmentalism. The Commission is considered the heart of the process of integration because it is the key organisation whose formal powers and actual operation are believed to echo the patterns of integration... Thu, 17 Oct 2013 04:58 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/773/is-the-european-commission-too-powerful-neofunctionalism-and-intergovernmentalism-considered http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/754/assessing-the-eus-lisbon-strategy-failures-and-successes By Jiri Krcek - The quest for economic supremacy has been at the heart of the European integration process since its very inception. Tracing the historical origins of the economic progress agenda, Europe’s ambition to bolster its economy vis-à-vis its main competitors has traditionally rested on major projects, namely the foundation of the common market in the 1950s and 1960s, the Werner Plan in the 1970s, the Single European Market in the 1980s, and the Economic and Monetary Union in the 1990s (James 2012: 10). In March 2000, the European Council Summit in Lisbon marked yet another significant step... Tue, 03 Sep 2013 10:15 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/754/assessing-the-eus-lisbon-strategy-failures-and-successes http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1616/tested-and-found-wanting-a-quantitative-analysis-of-legal-integration-in-the-member-states-of-the-2004-european-union-enlargement By Leigh Maltby - The subject of European legal integration entered the spotlight of interdisciplinary studies in the mid-1990s and has continued to maintain, if not increase, its prominence in scholarly literature (Mattli and Slaughter, 1998, 177-178). As Egan, Nugent and Paterson indicate, "Not only have different disciplines cast light on different aspects of the integration process and of the EU but so has there been a mushrooming of varying approaches to EU studies within disciplines" (Egan, Nugent and Paterson, 2010, 1-13). Scholars using a variety methods conclude that European legal integration would not... Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1616/tested-and-found-wanting-a-quantitative-analysis-of-legal-integration-in-the-member-states-of-the-2004-european-union-enlargement http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/647/european-union-citizenship-more-than-merely-financial-integration By Adam M. Waite - Firstly we will examine the concept and the evolution of European Union Citizenship as both a theory and as a reality for the nationals of member states. Although the concept of citizenship within the European Union has been part of the landscape of Europe for many decades, as Williams tells us, ‘it is still a struggle to obtain a comprehensible outline of what it means and how it is designed to develop’[1] it was not formally introduced and added to the EC Treaty until the Treaty on European Union in 1992 where under Art. 20(1) TFEU the principle of ‘Citizenship of the Union... Fri, 25 May 2012 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/647/european-union-citizenship-more-than-merely-financial-integration http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/607/trading-for-membership-effects-of-eu-candidacy-on-trade-openness-and-gdp-per-capita-in-countries-seeking-membership By Constantine J. Petallides - Since the data from Lars and University of Pennsylvania confirm that candidates trade more than they would normally with the EU, the next question becomes: why? Using “data on sovereign debt instruments from thirty-four emerging markets,”[4] Julia Gray determined that “EU candidacy leads to a decrease in perceived default risk, while EU entry decreases the variance of risk levels,”[5] attracting more foreign investment from international agents. To paraphrase, Gray found that when a smaller nation joins a political and economic union, investors are less worried that the... Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:03 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/607/trading-for-membership-effects-of-eu-candidacy-on-trade-openness-and-gdp-per-capita-in-countries-seeking-membership http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1064/how-will-the-crisis-in-the-european-single-currency-change-the-direction-of-intergration-europe By Samuel Clark - The European Integration Project envisaged by Jean Monnet of ‘ever closer union between the states of Europe’ was dreamed out of a desire to see that Europe did not return to war again. Europe had, at that time, experienced two hugely destructive wars within a generation of each other. From the 1950s until the collapse of the Soviet Union and reunification of Germany, in 1990, the propellant for integration was a fear of the influence of Communism or invasion from the Warsaw Pact. With America’s financial and military resources increasingly stretched - due to the Korean and Vietnam... Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1064/how-will-the-crisis-in-the-european-single-currency-change-the-direction-of-intergration-europe http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1065/we-need-to-talk-about-lisbon-the-capacity-of-the-european-union-as-a-global-trade-actor By Rob May - The European Commission’s (EC) Directorate-General Trade is one of several that have been subsumed into the remit of ‘external relations’ by the Lisbon Treaty. The effect of the construction of the European Single Market on trade throughout the latter half of the twentieth century has helped define the EU as a significant actor in international relations;3 but to what extent has the Lisbon Treaty, which came into effect in 2009, strengthened or weakened the “actorness” of the EU? This question is particularly difficult to answer with any brevity or parsimony; with... Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1065/we-need-to-talk-about-lisbon-the-capacity-of-the-european-union-as-a-global-trade-actor http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/578/uk-membership-in-the-european-union-undermining-parliamentary-sovereignty By Miles G. Kellerman - This account, albeit comical, illustrates the power of geography in the development of a national identity, and perhaps provides insight into Great Britain’s general animosity towards European integration. Throughout the development and expansion of the European Union, challenges to British sovereignty and independence have been met with strong internal opposition and intense Parliamentary debate. The United Kingdom Independence Party gained its first Parliamentary seat in 2008 – a signal of growing disillusionment with the EU in Britain, and a feeling no doubt exacerbated by the 2008... Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:09 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/578/uk-membership-in-the-european-union-undermining-parliamentary-sovereignty http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1075/european-enlargement-a-normative-perspective By Benjamin Walton - It was commonplace among academics of the 1970s to share an understanding of the frozen nature of international relations during the Cold War period, and to hold similar assumptions about the fixed character of the nation-state and the importance of direct military power in strengthening the international society.1 However, the Cold War, which structured many of these assumptions, ended with the collapse of norms across Central Europe rather than through the employment of force.2 Therefore, a better understanding of the European Union’s (EU) role today might be attained by reflecting on... Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1075/european-enlargement-a-normative-perspective http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1076/is-the-eu-reaching-the-limits-of-enlargement By Martha Otwinowski - Among European states in the aftermath of the Second World War, multilateral cooperation was seen as a long term stabilisation for peace. The European Union (EU), since its establishment in 1957 as the European Coal and Steel Community with six members, saw several enlargement rounds over the subsequent decades, driven by the idea that ever more members mean new markets and therefore increase economic benefit for everyone. The idea of EU enlargement as a means of foreign policy2 first found expression in the 1986 accession of Spain and Portugal. With both states just coming out of authoritarian... Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1076/is-the-eu-reaching-the-limits-of-enlargement http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1077/the-importance-of-the-lisbon-treaty-in-the-future-governance-of-europe-and-the-necessity-for-further-revision By Ainsley Gilbert - The lack of democracy in the European Union prior to the Treaty of Lisbon has been criticised by many, and it is fair to say that the EU was ‘closer to a form of enlightened despotism than a genuine democracy’.3 The only directly elected institution, the European Parliament, had little power, and citizens had no way of ”getting involved” in the policy making process of the Union other than through its infrequent elections. Decision-making authority rested with the unelected bureaucracy of the Commission and the Council of Ministers (made up of national politicians) rather... Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1077/the-importance-of-the-lisbon-treaty-in-the-future-governance-of-europe-and-the-necessity-for-further-revision http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1078/on-why-the-eu-should-die-and-be-resurrected By Petr Manousek - To explain this rather harsh statement, one must first look at the current state of EU integration studies. Scholars have become too interested in every little “mystery” surrounding the organisation and then have entrenched themselves in their rigid explanations. What they have failed to acknowledge in the meantime is the overarching principle of the “return of the state” and the resulting simple yet tremendously important realisation: EU business is still done when there are 27 (ideally, but often much fewer) people sitting around a table, discussing the issue at hand.... Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1078/on-why-the-eu-should-die-and-be-resurrected http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1079/what-are-the-benefits-and-challenges-of-the-economic-and-monetary-union By Anastasios Vourexakis - The Economic Monetary Union (EMU) is the end point of an ambitious and historic stage of integrated market changes1 that not only challenge the structure and foundation of modern-day liberal capitalism, but also offer – where successful – a wealth of opportunity in the goods, labour and service industries of the European Union. A fiscal extension to the principles of the Schengen Agreement2 of 1985 offered a financial breakthrough where multiple crises during the midand late-1980s offered physical deficit in the sense that unemployment was on the rise and inflation was at a post-war... Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1079/what-are-the-benefits-and-challenges-of-the-economic-and-monetary-union http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1080/in-the-ecj-we-trust-the-authority-of-eu-law-in-the-context-of-constitutional-conflict By Sofiya Kartalova - “In God We Trust” - the motto that inspired a nation built on the paradox ‘out of many, one’ could be construed as the wish for ‘divine goodness and order in the universe’.1 It entails the full recognition of a supreme power. However, the wording does not convey blind obedience, nor does it suggest a contract between equals. Instead, “trust” is rooted in delegation; it boils down to the investment of confidence. Another aspect here is the acknowledgement of abilities of a higher standard than one’s own. Thus, trust is the source of authority... Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1080/in-the-ecj-we-trust-the-authority-of-eu-law-in-the-context-of-constitutional-conflict http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1081/the-resurgence-of-russia-and-its-relations-with-europe-a-true-transformation-or-a-superficial-change By Krzysztof Siczek - The first decade of the twenty-first century was a period of change for Russia. The crisis of the 1990s was/were overcome and its international posture has improved. However, the scope and the stability of the shift are debatable and there is no agreement in the literature over its meaning for European security. On the one hand, it is argued that Russia has become the energy superpower1 successfully pursuing an independent foreign policy. Dmitri Trenin2 has gone so far as to state that Russia has left the West politically. The adherents to this line of reasoning point to the macroeconomic revolution3... Thu, 01 Sep 2011 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1081/the-resurgence-of-russia-and-its-relations-with-europe-a-true-transformation-or-a-superficial-change http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/513/governmentality-and-the-deportation-of-eastern-european-roma-in-italy-and-france By Carmen Radu - This case study asks the following question: given the symbol of the European Union as the ultimate supranational, rights-based, compliance-inducing international organization, why have member states France and Italy escaped punishment for their blatant violations of international law, reflected in their mass deportations of Roma and the dismantlement of Roma camps during the period of 2008 to 2010? Inspired by a Foucauldian theoretical framework, this paper analyzes how discourses and practices reveal power relationships at the EU and state levels, and argues that the mass deportations are a... Fri, 15 Apr 2011 08:57 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/513/governmentality-and-the-deportation-of-eastern-european-roma-in-italy-and-france http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1107/going-soft-environment-policy-in-the-european-union By Robert May - The European Union (EU) is rarely seen as a powerful actor on the international relations stage. A statecentric, ‘high politics’ view of global politics tends to overlook the involvement of the EU and its effectiveness, 2 and the dominance of Realist conceptions of power ensures that the role of non-state actors is consistently undervalued.3 However in the realm of international environmental negotiations, the EU has taken up a strong leadership role – and this article seeks to explain how the EU was able to do so despite not having the same coercive power resources as traditional... Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1107/going-soft-environment-policy-in-the-european-union http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1114/the-lisbon-treaty-am-i-a-real-boy-now By Sofiya Kartalov - The Lisbon Treaty operates under the presumption that the EU is an incomplete individual, seeking to remedy the defects and omissions in its body. This organisation has taken on a quest for self-improvement similar to that of Pinocchio, the wooden marionette whose only wish is to become a real boy, in that it demonstrates a desire to change and evolve. The EU has already acquired personal will and now it seeks integrity as a whole individual. The Lisbon Treaty makes a bold claim towards this final goal by not only preserving the soul of the Union, but also striving to turn democracy, transparency... Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1114/the-lisbon-treaty-am-i-a-real-boy-now http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1289/europe-can-no-longer-procrastinate By Romain Jouvent - The European project has had many successes since its birth in 1957 but has been deeply called into question by the rejection of the European Constitution by the French and the Dutch in 2005. That year Europe was unable to fix the future budget of the EU. Visibly, the developing process of the European project is often slowed down. The key question becomes what direction should Europe take to give itself a role in the world order of tomorrow. Many decisions have been delayed too long with Europe balking too often. The EU can no longer procrastinate. It must first identify the current issues in... Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1289/europe-can-no-longer-procrastinate http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1291/four-challenges-for-europe By Michel Barnier - In Washington as in Peking, in Beirut as in Bamako, the question is asked of us: what is the European Union’s (EU) foreign policy? In Lisbon on October 18th, the 27 member states agreed to a first response on means and tools. With the creation of a post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Europe will be represented on the international scene by one sole and powerful spokesperson discussing, whether with Russia or with the United States (US), world challenges. Without substituting for national efforts, the High Representative will have available the totality of... Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1291/four-challenges-for-europe http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1148/britain-and-the-european-union By - As of the moment Great Britain joined the European Union, the two main European Law systems combined (common and continental Law), which could have lead to new problems on harmonising Private Law, because both systems are substantially different on that part.  Although many of the problems were removed by the ruling that Member States accept European Laws and Regulations, they still could have brought along new perspectives.  However, Great Britain Joining the Union couldn’t change the nature and the main characteristics of European Law.  Of course, European Law has... Fri, 01 Jan 1999 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1148/britain-and-the-european-union