Èuropean Integration Key concepts

International /Regional organization a. Central concepts in relation to the development of international organizations b. The role and development of such organizations c. Key Organisations in the political and economic context d. How the place of the ‘state’ in the international context has changed

Key concepts The units of cooperation ‘the state The ‘nation-state’ The types of co-operation ‘intergovernmentalism’ ‘supranationalism’

The ‘state’ No longer able to deal with the complexities of a ‘global world Yet it continues to be THE administrative and political unit of account within the international political system ‘state sovereignty’ is still invoked as giving states some kind of mystical independent quality which in reality is seriously circumscribed

The state… The state - the authoritative decision- making institutions for an entire society; all other groups are legally subject to it; it is legally sovereign; its authority is compulsory; it is the ultimate regulator of the legitimate use of force

‘the nation-state’ The nation-state - this is when the two overlap nation - people sharing a common identity, tradition, culture and language state - the political and legal entity through which collective decisions made and enforced An abstract entity - we defend it in song, in sport, in war, in peace, flags and emblems

‘sovereignty’ This is defined as the right to hold and exercise authority Over a territory Over a people Over relationships with other states Within the EU, there is talk of ‘a loss of sovereignty’ or a pooling/redistribution of sovereignty’, depending on your perspective

‘intergovernmentalism’ This has characterised the type of co- operation between states when they came together to form an international organisation It means that Membership is voluntary There is no power to raise taxes, make law The organisation has no independent powers It has no power to enforce decisions and sanctions can only be imposed by all members

supranationalism Essentially this means a transfer of authority to the international organisation; it is autonomous, above the state and it has powers of coercion, independent of the state The EU is the example of this kind of co- operation par excellence It can make laws, binding on member states Its authority overrides national law in those areas where EU has competence It can negotiate on behalf of the 15 in areas like trade (WTO negotiations)