"Dynamics and countervailing pressures of visa, asylum and immigration policy Treaty revision: explaining change and inertia from the Amsterdam IGC to the Constitutional Treaty"

Niemann, Arne. (2005) "Dynamics and countervailing pressures of visa, asylum and immigration policy Treaty revision: explaining change and inertia from the Amsterdam IGC to the Constitutional Treaty". In: UNSPECIFIED, Austin, Texas. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This paper seeks to explain the varying, and sometimes intriguing, outcomes of the past three Treaty revisions in the area of visa, asylum and immigration. Focusing on decision rules and the institutional set-up of these policies, the results of the Amsterdam Treaty, the Treaty of Nice and the Constitutional Treaty are subjected to a (causal) analysis. The paper argues that six explanatory factors can account for the Treaty outcomes: (1) functional pressures; (2) the role of supranational institutions; (3) socialisation, deliberation and learning processes; (4) exogenous pressures; (5) the role of organised interests; and (6) countervailing forces. The framework, especially through its dialectical nature (combining both dynamics and countervailing factors), may also enable us to explain some more specific aspects of decision outcomes.

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