| Popis: |
The thesis examines whether differentiated integration works as an instrument to maintain the deepening process of European integration. To this end we discuss three questions. Why is an EU policy differentiated? Does differentiated integration advance the policy and satisfy the goals of the participating member states? Does differentiation advance the European integration process in general? With the help of these three questions we analyse two sets of EU policies: the Schengen cooperation and EMU that have been differentiated in the past; nine first pillar policies that could be differentiated in future. We develop three arguments showing that differentiation does indeed work. Firstly, differentiation works because most EU policies are susceptible to temporal or functional differentiation. Secondly, differentiation works because it advances EU policies by circumventing obstacles to their development and because it is only used if it satisfies the interests of the participating member states. Finally, differentiation works because it advances the EU by attracting the non-participants and influencing new solutions adopted by all member states. Differentiation is therefore not only useful in selected cases but as an alternative method of European integration for the future |
