Delegation and Accountability in European Integration: The Nordic Parliamentary Democracies and the European Union

by Bergman,Torbjorn

• ISBN13: 9780714681153
• ISBN10: 0714681156
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2000-04-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The European Union has had an effect on national decision-making and the chain of delegation and accountability in five parliamentary democracies. The country studies here present the most important changes that are taking place as Denmark, Finland and Sweden adapt to EU membership and Iceland and Norway participate in the European Economic Area (EAA). The analyses are based on a principal-agent perspective and the contributors show that a transfer of power from the national level to the supranational level does not necessarily mean that domestic delegation fails or that accountability is lost. Six concrete findings are emphasized: the Nordic countries have adjusted to membership by making use of new control instruments; the Prime Minister and the ministers most involved in EU/EEA have increased their power; all cabinets have worked out new mechanisms to ensure co-ordination in European affairs; civil servants everywhere have become indispensable in European affairs; most of the procedures have been basedon an overriding goal to create decisions and policies reflecting national consensus or broad compromises; and the distinct difference between the EU and the EEA states with regard to the effects of delegation to supranational institutions.

Author Biography

The editors are Torbjorn Bergman, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Political Science, Umea University, Sweden. Erik Damgaard, Professor at the Department of Political Science, Aarhus University, Denmark.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Delegation Accountability in European Integration	1	(14)
Torbjorn Bergman
The EU, the EEA and Domestic Accountability: How Outside Forces Affect Delegation within Member States	15	(18)
Arthur Lupia
The European Union and Danish Parliamentary Democracy	33	(26)
Erik Damgaard
Asbjørn Sonne Nørgaard
Building Elite Consensus: Parliamentary Accountability in Finland	59	(22)
Tapio Raunio
Matti Wiberg
Another Link in the Chain: The Effects of EU Membership on Delegation and Accountability in Sweden	81	(24)
Hans Hegeland
Ingvar Mattson
Delegation and Accountability in an Ambiguous System: Iceland and The European Economic Area (EEA)	105	(20)
Svanur Kristjansson
Ragnar Kristjansson
Adaptation without EU Membership: Norway and the European Economic Area	125	(26)
Hanne Marthe Narud
Kaare Strøm
Conclusion: The Impact of European Integration on Nordic Parliamentary Democracies	151	(19)
Erik Damgaard
Abstracts	170	(5)
Index	175