Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-v5vhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-06T00:52:46.517Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Out of Time? National Parliaments and Early Decision-Making in the European Union

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

Mads Dagnis Jensen  and
Dorte Martinsen
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Co-decisions between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament are increasingly adopted as early agreements. Recent EU studies have pinpointed how this informal turn in EU governance has altered the existing balance of power between EU actors and within EU institutions. However, the implications of accelerated EU decision-making are expected to have repercussions beyond the EU system and in other institutions impinging on the role of national parliaments. This study examines the implications of an alteration of EU political time on national parliaments’ ability to scrutinize their executives in EU affairs. A mixed method approach has been applied. This strategy combines survey data on national parliaments’ scrutiny process and response to early agreements for 26 EU countries with a case study examination of national parliaments in Denmark, the UK and Germany. The burgeoning research agenda on EU timescapes is applied. This study finds that the clocks of most national parliaments are out of time with the EU decision-mode of early agreements, which severely hampers the national parliaments’ ability to scrutinize national governments.

Type
Articles
Information
Government and Opposition , Volume 50 , Issue 2 , April 2015 , pp. 240 - 270
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s). Published by Government and Opposition Limited and Cambridge University Press 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

Mads Dagnis Jensen is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen. Contact email: MCDJ@ifs.ku.dk.

Dorte Martinsen is a Professor (MSO) in the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen. Contact email: DM@ifs.ku.dk.

References

REFERENCES

Auel, K. (2007), ‘Democratic Accountability and National Parliaments: Redefining the Impact of Parliamentary Scrutiny in EU Affairs’, European Law Journal, 13(4): 487–504.Google Scholar
Auel, K. and Benz, A. (2007) (eds), The Europeanisation of Parliamentary Democracy (London: Routledge).Google Scholar
Auken, S. (2006), ‘Ny fremdrift i EU kræver dansk nytænkning’, Berlingske Tidende, 13 March.Google Scholar
Beichelt, T. (2012), ‘Recovering Space Lost? The German Bundestag's New Potential in European Politics’, German Politics, 21(2): 143–160.Google Scholar
Benz, A. (2004), ‘Path-dependent Institutions and Strategic Veto-Players: National Parliaments in the European Union’, West European Politics, 29(5): 875–900.Google Scholar
Börzel, T. (2002), ‘Pace-Setting, Foot-Dragging, and Fence-Sitting: Member State Responses to Europeanization’, Journal of Common Market Studies, 40(2): 193–214.Google Scholar
Chalmers, D., Hadjiemmanuil, C., Monti, G. and Tomkins, A. (2006), European Union Law: Text and Materials (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).Google Scholar
COSAC (2007), 8th Biannual Report, Annex, prepared by the COSAC Secretariat and presented to the 38th Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union, www.cosac.eu/documents/bi-annual-reports-of-cosac.Google Scholar
COSAC (2009), 12th Biannual Report, Annex, prepared by the COSAC Secretariat and presented to the 42nd Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union, 5–6 October 2009, Stockholm, www.cosac.eu/documents/bi-annual-reports-of-cosac.Google Scholar
Cygan, A. (2007), ‘Scrutiny of EU Legislation in the UK Parliament: The First Thirty Years and Beyond’, in J. O’Brennan and T. Raunio (eds), National Parliaments within the Enlarged European Union: From ‘Victims’ of Integration to Competitive Actors? (London: Routledge): 163–177.Google Scholar
Damgaard, E. and Jensen, H. (2005), ‘Europeanisation of Executive–Legislative Relations: Nordic Perspectives’, Journal of Legislative Studies, 11(3–4): 394–411.Google Scholar
Danish European Affairs Committee (2006), ‘Beretning afgivet af Europaudvalget den 23. juni 2006 om tidlig forelæggelse og åbenhed’, Folketinget Beretning no. 6, www.euo.dk/upload/application/pdf/ed59affc/Beretning%206.pdf.Google Scholar
Danish Foreign Ministry (2011), Retningslinjer for den danske EU-beslutningsprocedure, Februar 2011.Google Scholar
Duina, F. and Oliver, M. (2005), ‘National Parliaments in the European Union: Are there Any Benefits to Integration?’, European Law Journal, 11(2): 173–195.Google Scholar
Esmark, A. (2002), ‘At forvalte Europa – Den danske centraladministrations omstilling til det europæiske samarbejde’, PhD dissertation, Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen.Google Scholar
European Parliament Report (2009), ‘Activity Report 1 May 2004 to 13 July 2009 (6th parliamentary term)’, www.europarl.europa.eu/code/information/activity_reports/activity_report_2004_2009_en.pdf.Google Scholar
EUZBBG (2013), Gesetz über die Zusammenarbeit von Bundesregierung und Deutschem Bundestag in Angelegenheiten der Europäischen Union, www.gesetze-im-internet.de/euzbbg_2013/BJNR217000013.html.Google Scholar
Farrell, H. and Héritier, A. (2004), ‘Interorganizational Negotiation and Intraorganizational Power in Shared Decision Making: Early Agreements Under Codecision and their Impact on the European Parliament and Council’, Comparative Political Studies, 37(10): 1184–1212.Google Scholar
George, A.L. and Bennett, A. (2004), Case Studies and Theory Development (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press).Google Scholar
Goetz, K.H. (2000), ‘European Integration and National Executives: A Cause in Search of an Effect?’, West European Politics, 23(4): 211–231.Google Scholar
Goetz, K.H. (2009), ‘How Does the EU Tick? Five Propositions on Political Time’, Journal of European Public Policy, 16(2): 202–220.Google Scholar
Goetz, K.H. and Meyer-Sahling, J.H. (2009), ‘Political Time in the EU: Dimensions, Perspectives, Theories’, Journal of European Public Policy, 16(2): 180–201.Google Scholar
Grzymala-Busse, A. (2011), ‘Time Will Tell? Temporality and the Analysis of Causal Mechanisms and Processes’, Comparative Political Studies, 44(9): 1267–1297.Google Scholar
Häge, F.M. (2007), ‘Committee Decision-Making in the Council of the European Union’, European Union Politics, 8(3): 299–328.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Häge, F.M. and Kaeding, M. (2007), ‘Reconsidering the European Parliament’s Legislative Influence: Formal vs. Informal Procedures’, European Integration, 29(3): 341–361.Google Scholar
Hayes-Renshaw, F. and Wallace, H. (2006), The Council of Ministers (Houndmills: Palgrave Macmillan).Google Scholar
Hazell, R. and Paun, A. (2010), ‘Parliamentary Scrutiny of Multi-Level Governance’, in R. Hrbek (ed.), Legislatures in Federal Systems and Multi-Level Governance (Baden-Baden: Nomos): 159–179.Google Scholar
Holzhacker, R. and Albæk, E. (2007) (eds), Democratic Governance and European Integration: Linking Societal and State Processes of Democracy (Cheltenham: Edward Elgar).Google Scholar
House of Lords (2008), Annual Report (London: Stationery Office), www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200708/ldbrief/152/152.pdf.Google Scholar
House of Lords (2008–9), European Union Committee, 17th Report of Session, www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldeucom/125/125.pdf.Google Scholar
Jensen, H. (2003), Europaudvalget – et udvalg i Folketinget (Århus: Aarhus Universitetsforlag).Google Scholar
Jensen, M.D. and Nedergaard, P. (2012), ‘From “Frankenstein” to “Toothless Vampire”? Explaining the Watering Down of the Services Directive’, Journal of European Public Policy, 19(6): 844–862.Google Scholar
Judge, D. (1995), ‘The Failure of National Parliaments?’, West European Politics, 18(3): 79–100.Google Scholar
Katz, R.S. and Wessels, B. (1999), The European Parliament, National Parliaments and European Integration (Oxford: Oxford University Press).Google Scholar
Kaczyński, P. (2011), ‘Paper Tigers or Sleeping Beauties? National Parliaments in the Post-Lisbon European Political System’, CEPS Special Reports, www.ceps.eu/book/paper-tigers-or-sleeping-beauties-national-parliaments-post-lisbon-european-political-system.Google Scholar
Lieberman, S. (2005), ‘Nested Analysis as a Mixed-method Strategy for Comparative Research’, American Political Science Review, 99: 435–452.Google Scholar
Lijphart, A. (1999), Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press).Google Scholar
Linn, S. and Sobolewski, F. (2010), The German Bundestag: Functions and Procedures (Rheinbreitbach: NDV).Google Scholar
Market Committee (1973–2006), Reports from the Danish Market Committee/European Affairs Committee 1973–2006, www.eu-oplysningen.dk/upload/application/pdf/b5429112/beretning2006samlet.pdf%3Fdownload%3D1.Google Scholar
Maurer, A. (2003), ‘Germany: Fragmented Structures in a Complex System’, in W. Wessels, A. Maurer and J. Mittag (eds), Fifteen into One? The European Union and its Member States, 3rd edn (Manchester: Manchester University Press): 115–149.Google Scholar
Maurer, A. and Wessels, W. (2001), National Parliaments after Amsterdam: From Slow Adapters to National Players? (Baden-Baden: Nomos).Google Scholar
Meyer-Sahling, J.H. and Goetz, K. (2009), ‘The EU Timescape: From Notion to Research Agenda’, Journal of European Public Policy, 16(2): 325–336.Google Scholar
O’Brennan, J. and Raunio, T. (2007) (eds), National Parliaments within the Enlarged European Union: From ‘Victims’ of Integration to Competitive Actors? (London: Routledge).Google Scholar
Rasmussen, A. (2011), ‘Time Choices in Bicameral Bargaining: Evidence from the Co-decision Legislative Procedure of the European Union’, European Union Politics, 12(1): 41–64.Google Scholar
Rasmussen, A. and Shackleton, M. (2005), ‘The Scope for Action of European Parliament Negotiators in the Legislative Process: Lessons of the Past and for the Future’, paper presented at the EUSA Biannual Meeting, Austin, TX.Google Scholar
Raunio, T. (2005), ‘Holding Governments Accountable in European Affairs: Explaining Cross-National Variation’, Journal of Legislative Studies, 11(3–4): 319–342.Google Scholar
Raunio, T. (2006), ‘Does OMC Really Benefit National Parliaments?’, European Law Journal, 12(1): 130–131.Google Scholar
Raunio, T. (2009), ‘National Parliaments and European Integration: What we Know and Agenda for Future Research’, Journal of Legislative Studies, 15(4): 317–334.Google Scholar
Raunio, T. and Hix, S. (2000), ‘Backbenchers Learn to Fight back: European Integration and Parliamentary Government’, West European Politics, 23(4): 142–168.Google Scholar
Reh, C., Héritier, A., Bressanelli, E. and Koop, C. (2013), ‘The Informal Politics of Legislation Explaining Secluded Decision Making in the European Union’, Comparative Political Studies, 46(9): 1112–1142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rometsch, D. and Wessels, W. (1996) (eds), The European Union and Member States: Towards Institutional Fusion? (Manchester: Manchester University Press).Google Scholar
Rules of Procedure of the German Bundestag (2013), Rule 93b, www.btg-bestellservice.de/pdf/80060000.pdf.Google Scholar
Scharpf, F.W. (1994), Community and Autonomy: Multilevel Policy-making in the European Union, EUI Working Paper RSC 94/1.Google Scholar
Shackleton, M. and Raunio, T. (2003), ‘Co-decision since Amsterdam: A Laboratory for Institutional Innovation and Change’, Journal of European Public Policy, 10(2): 171–188.Google Scholar
Sousa, M. (2008), ‘Learning in Denmark? The Case of Danish Parliamentary Control over EU Policy’, Scandinavian Political Studies, 31(4): 428–447.Google Scholar
Sprungk, C. (2010), ‘Ever More or Ever Better Scrutiny? Analysing the Conditions of Effective National Parliamentary Involvement in EU Affairs’, European Integration Online Papers, 14(2): 1–25.Google Scholar
Töller, A.E. (2004), ‘The Europeanization of Public Policies: Understanding Mechanisms and Contingent Results’, European Integration Online Papers, 8: 1–26.Google Scholar
Töller, A.E. (2006), How European Integration Impacts on National Legislatures: The Europeanization of The German Bundestag, Harvard Center for European Studies, Program for the Study of Germany and Europe Working Paper Series, 6.2.2006.Google Scholar
Toshkov, D. and Rasmussen, A. (2012), ‘Time to Decide: The Effect of Early Agreements on Legislative Duration in the EU’, European Integration Online Papers, 16: 1–20.Google Scholar
Wallace, H. (2005), ‘Exercising Power and Influence in the European Union: The Roles of the Member States’, in S. Bulmer and C. Lequesne (eds), The Member States of the European Union (Oxford: Oxford University Press): 25–44.Google Scholar
Wallace, H. (2007), Adapting to Enlargement of the European Union: Institutional Practice since May 2004 (Brussels: Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA)).Google Scholar
Wessels, W., Maurer, A. and Mittag, J. (2003) (eds), Fifteen into One: The EU and Its Member States (Manchester: Manchester University Press).Google Scholar