The Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action is a legislative act aiming to improve the governance structure of the internal energy market. The Regulation has been subject to academic dissensus and it remains unclear whether it has to be interpreted as a step towards renationalisation of the European Energy Policy or as increasing the powers of the Union’s institutions. The discussion is caused by the Regulations’ formulation which leaves room for interpretation and its effects are not sufficiently clear. This research aims to explain why the Governance Regulation materialised with ambiguous formulations. The issue is approached using Liberal Intergovernmentalist theory to explain this outcome. The theory can be used to explain regional integration and particularly European integration well and is based on intergovernmentalism but also includes aspects of realism and neo-liberalism which broadens the scope of the analysis. Concluding this contribution, it is found that the ambiguity of the Regulation was necessary due to cleavages among the Member States and to meet the smallest common denominator which allows for a first step of a common governance in European Energy Policy.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Controversies In The Academic Debate
3 The Governance Regulation’s Energy And Climate Reporting
4 Analytical Framework
4.1 THE SITUATION OF ENERGY POLICY IN GERMANY AND POLAND
4.2 OPERATIONALISING LIBERAL INTERGOVERNMENTALISM
5 A Liberal Intergovernmentalist View On The Governance Regulation
5.1 ECONOMIC INTERESTS
5.2 PREFERENCE FORMATION
5.3 REDUCTION OF BARRIERS
5.4 REDUCTION OF TRANSACTION COSTS
6 Conclusion
6.1 LIMITATIONS AND AVENUES FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
7 Bibliography
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This thesis examines the ambiguity of the Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, investigating whether its vague formulation was an intentional outcome resulting from conflicting national interests. By applying Liberal Intergovernmentalist theory, the study analyzes how the negotiation process between EU Member States—specifically the divergent positions of Germany and Poland—shaped the resulting legislative framework.
- The role of Liberal Intergovernmentalism in explaining European energy integration.
- The impact of East-West cleavages on European energy and climate policy.
- Economic interests and preference formation of Germany and Poland.
- The tension between national sovereignty and the centralisation of governance powers.
- Mechanisms for monitoring, reporting, and sanctioning within the Energy Union.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 The situation of energy policy in Germany and Poland
Germany and Poland are two of the most antagonistic European countries in the area of European Energy Policy and thus promising subjects to analyse. The legislative process for drafting the Governance Regulation commenced after the 2008-2009 economic crisis has been managed on 30 November 2016 (COM 2016/759). As a reaction to the economic crisis, particularly economically weaker, Member States have become more cautious in regard to European integration, conferral of powers and increasing degrees of interdependency (Hobolt, 2014, p. 679). After the eastern enlargements of the European Union in 2004 and 2007, the issue of energy security regained its former importance and was set at the top of the agenda. As one of the largest energy-exporter worldwide, Russia is geographically neighbouring the European Union and has direct borders with Finland (1995), Estonia and Latvia (both 2004) as well as the bordering Members States to the black sea (2007) and has used its influence and power in the energy market for geopolitical motives before. This further raises the consciousness of the close interconnection of energy policy with other policy fields. The Russia-Ukraine gas dispute (2005 - 06) disrupted the gas delivery by completely cutting of European countries that relied upon the Russian natural gas supply. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 further threatened the Union’s gas supply and the Central and Eastern European Countries perceived the risk particularly emphasized. Energy policy was used by the Russians as a method of geopolitics, foreign security policy and power demonstration towards the western neighbours (Biersack, 2014).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the context of European energy policy as a "special case of Europeanisation" and defines the research question regarding the potential intentionality of ambiguous formulations in the Governance Regulation.
2 Controversies In The Academic Debate: This section reviews the scholarly discourse on the renationalisation versus delegation of powers within the EU and identifies the research gap regarding the drafting process of the Governance Regulation.
3 The Governance Regulation’s Energy And Climate Reporting: This chapter details the technical structure of the Governance Regulation, including long-term planning and short-term reporting mechanisms, and the European Commission’s monitoring role.
4 Analytical Framework: This section establishes Liberal Intergovernmentalism as the theoretical lens, operationalizing assumptions concerning economic interests, preference formation, barrier reduction, and transaction costs.
5 A Liberal Intergovernmentalist View On The Governance Regulation: This main body chapter applies the theoretical framework to the empirical case, analyzing the influence of Germany and Poland on the Regulation’s final, ambiguous form.
6 Conclusion: The author summarizes the findings, concluding that the ambiguity served to reach a smallest common denominator among Member States, and suggests avenues for future research.
7 Bibliography: This section lists the academic and institutional sources referenced throughout the thesis.
Keywords
European Union, Energy Policy, Governance Regulation, Liberal Intergovernmentalism, Energy Union, Climate Action, Member States, Integration, Sovereignty, Germany, Poland, Energy Security, Sustainability, Reporting Mechanism, Policy Negotiation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research investigates why the European Union’s Regulation on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action contains ambiguous provisions, analyzing whether this was a deliberate strategy to accommodate conflicting national interests.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The study centers on the tension between national energy sovereignty and EU-level integration, the influence of regional cleavages (specifically East vs. West), and the role of the European Commission in monitoring national energy and climate plans.
What is the central research question?
The research asks: Could the Governance Regulation have been intentionally concluded with an ambiguous formulation to reflect the smallest common denominator among diverse Member State preferences?
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The thesis utilizes Liberal Intergovernmentalist theory, operationalizing its core assumptions—economic interests, preference formation, reduction of barriers, and transaction costs—to analyze the legislative drafting process.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body examines the energy policy perspectives of Germany and Poland, details the structural reporting mechanisms of the Regulation, and applies the theoretical framework to evaluate why the Regulation resulted in a "harder-soft" governance outcome.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include European Energy Policy, Governance Regulation, Liberal Intergovernmentalism, Energy Union, and Member State sovereignty.
How does the East-West cleavage affect European energy policy?
The East-West cleavage pits Western states (like Germany) that prioritize decarbonization and sustainability against Eastern/Central states (like Poland) that prioritize energy security and reliance on traditional, stable energy sources like coal.
What role does the European Commission play in the Governance Regulation?
The Commission acts as a "policy shaper" and neutral intermediary, empowered to monitor national plans, issue recommendations, and demand transparency, without having direct power to dictate national energy mixes.
Why does the author consider Germany and Poland "antagonistic" subjects?
They represent polar opposites in current EU energy priorities: Germany pursues a rapid phase-out of nuclear and coal to achieve sustainability, while Poland remains highly dependent on coal and views energy security through the lens of protection against external threats like Russia.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Kristen Feiter (Autor:in), 2018, The European Union’s Single Market. Integration towards the European Energy Union, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/512521
