Pitt Logoempty spaceULS LinkContact Link

Security and the Two-Level Game: The Treaty of Prüm, the EU and the Management of Threats. CEPS Working Documents No. 234, 1 January 2006

Balzacq, Thierry and Bigo, Didier and Carrera, Sergio and Guild, Elspeth (2006) Security and the Two-Level Game: The Treaty of Prüm, the EU and the Management of Threats. CEPS Working Documents No. 234, 1 January 2006.

This is the latest version of this eprint.

Full text available as:
PDF - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader or other PDF viewer.

Abstract

On 27 May 2005, seven Member States signed the Prüm Convention to step up cross-border cooperation, particularly in combating terrorism, cross-border crime and illegal migration. Named after the German city in which it was signed, the Treaty’s main advantage is that it enables the signatories to speed up the exchange of information. However, this paper argues that the Treaty produces negative externalities for the European Union’s area of freedom, security and justice by circumventing the EU framework. First, by keeping the Convention under a multilateral umbrella, the signatories create a hierarchy within the EU. Second, by reverting to an intergovernmental arena, the European Parliament is ignored precisely at a time when it is achieving an increasingly central role in law-making in this field. As a result, Prüm weakens the EU more than it strengthens it, and under many circumstances, it simply cannot provide the way forward to the establishment of a manageable area of freedom, security and justice.

Item Type:Working Paper
Public Domain:No
Refereed:No
Status:Published
Authors, Individual:Balzacq, Thierry and Bigo, Didier and Carrera, Sergio and Guild, Elspeth
Title:Security and the Two-Level Game: The Treaty of Prüm, the EU and the Management of Threats. CEPS Working Documents No. 234, 1 January 2006
Language:English
Institution:Centre for European Studies (Brussels)
Journals and Series:Series > Centre for European Policy Studies (Brussels) > CEPS Working Documents
Pages:28
Month:January
Year:2006
Subjects:EU policies and themes > Policies & related activities > Third Pillar/JHA/PJC > criminal matters (organized crime, drug & sex trade)
EU policies and themes > Policies & related activities > Third Pillar/JHA/PJC > terrorism
EU policies and themes > Policies & related activities > Third Pillar/JHA/PJC > immigration policy
EU policies and themes > Policies & related activities > Third Pillar/JHA/PJC > general
Alternative Locations:http://shop.ceps.be/BookDetail.php?item_id=1292
ID Code:6678
Deposited By:Wilkin, Phil
Deposited On:26 January 2008

Available Versions of this Item