Complexity, coupling, and the future of European integration.

Review of Policy Research, The, June, 2003 by Zahariadis, Nikolaos

Why is there more integration in some areas of the European Union (EU) than others? Analyzing the dynamics of the integration process at the "normal politics" level (Caporaso and Keeler, 1995), I specify two conditions, complexity and coupling, that make integration in Europe more likely in specific policy domains. Integration is likely to proceed apace in the area of competition policy because of low complexity and tight coupling. In contrast, high complexity and loose coupling make it likely that social policy will remain the province of actors at the national level. Interestingly, some issue domains, such as foreign and security policy and agriculture, are experiencing both fragmentation and integration at the same time.

The prospect of a massive wave of at...

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