This study assumes the validity of liberal intergovernmentalism (LI) theory and follows Ingebritsen‘s sectoral approach. The thesis under investigation is formulated as follows: While the fishing industry in Norway constantly succeed in intervening in national policy-making towards European integration, Icelandic fishermen lost access to governing parties after the sudden change of government in 2009. Consequently they failed to prevent the government from filing the EU membership application.
Iceland and Norway have traditionally been referred to as “outsiders” or even “outliers” in the process of European Integration (Miles 2005). While Iceland had not applied for EU membership until 2009, the Norwegian public rejected the country´s accession twofold in a referendum, first 1972 and again in 1994. Since the mid-1990s, both states have nevertheless been highly affiliated to the EU project through their participation in the European Economic Area (EEA). Additionally, both countries experienced similar developments concerning political representation since 1994, with long-serving Eurosceptic center-right governments, which were replaced by pro-European center-left governments after the turn of the millennium. The electorate in Norway brought a coalition government of Labor, Socialists and Center Party to power in 2005, which was reelected four years later. In Iceland, a coalition of social democrats and Left-Green Movement replaced the conservative government in 2009. How did it come that Iceland for the first time in history applied for EU membership after the change in government while Norway did not?
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- State of Research
- The European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)
- Impact of interest groups on political parties.
- Reluctant Europeans: The Case of Iceland
- To Join or Not to Join: The Case of Norway
- Theoretical Framework
- Liberal Intergovernmentalism & the Sectoral Approach
- Network analysis
- Dependent and independent variable
- Methodology
- Operationalization of (in)dependent variable
- Case Selection.
- Expected Results
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This study investigates the reasons behind Iceland’s first-time application for EU membership in 2009, contrasting it with Norway’s continuous resistance to EU accession. The study aims to explore the role of the fishing industry and its influence on national policy-making towards European integration in both countries. It employs the theoretical framework of liberal intergovernmentalism and Ingebritsen’s sectoral approach.
- The impact of the fishing industry on national policy-making towards European integration in Iceland and Norway.
- The role of interest groups and political parties in shaping national positions on EU membership.
- The significance of access to decision-makers in influencing policy outcomes.
- The application of network analysis in understanding domestic political dynamics.
- The validity of liberal intergovernmentalism theory in explaining the different paths of Iceland and Norway towards EU membership.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the study's topic and research questions, focusing on the contrasting positions of Iceland and Norway on EU membership. The study aims to explain why Iceland applied for membership after a change in government, while Norway has consistently resisted it.
- State of Research: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of existing research on the European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the impact of interest groups on political parties, and the historical and socio-political context of Iceland and Norway. It explores the importance of fisheries policy as a key factor influencing both countries’ relationships with the EU.
- The European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP): This section focuses on the CFP, highlighting its introduction in 1983 and its impact on fisheries management across Europe. It discusses the agreements between the EU and third countries, including Norway and Iceland, emphasizing the significance of fishing quotas and the “relative stability” principle.
- Impact of interest groups on political parties: This section delves into the scientific literature on the influence of interest groups on political decision-makers, setting the stage for the study’s analysis of the fishing industry’s role in both countries.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This study focuses on the influence of the fishing industry on national policy-making towards European integration in Iceland and Norway. It explores the role of interest groups, political parties, and the concept of access to decision-makers within the context of liberal intergovernmentalism and Ingebritsen’s sectoral approach. Key concepts include the European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), network analysis, and the historical context of both countries’ relationships with the EU.
- Quote paper
- Ron Böhler (Author), 2010, Fishing in Troubled Waters. Iceland, Norway and the Question of EU Membership, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/376502
