"Conceptualising Common Commercial Policy Treaty revision: explaining dynamics and inertia from the Amsterdam IGC to the Constitutional Treaty"

Niemann, Arne. (2005) "Conceptualising Common Commercial Policy Treaty revision: explaining dynamics and inertia from the Amsterdam IGC to the Constitutional Treaty". In European Union Studies Association (EUSA) > Biennial Conference > 2005 (9th), March 31-April 2, 2005, pages 61, Austin, Texas.

Abstract

This paper seeks to explain the varying, and sometimes intriguing, outcomes of the past three revisions of the Treaty concerning the Community’s Common Commercial Policy. How can the failure to extend Community competencies at the Amsterdam IGC be explained in one of the most integrated fields despite substantial pressures stemming from the changing international trade agenda? Why has the last Treaty revision managed to achieve considerable progress concerning the extension of Community competence in contested areas, which the previous three IGCs failed to bring about? The paper argues that six explanatory factors can account for these 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), also enables us to account for more specific aspects of decision outcomes. In addition, I suggest that for dynamics to have an impact structural and more agency-based pressures have to occur concurrently.