International studies, Vol. VIII No. 1, 2008.
Original scientific paper
Theoretical aspects of European integration process heading to Lisbon Treaty
Đana Luša
; Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
To understand the European integration process, apart from understanding the history and following current developments, it is crucial to connect events, detect regularities and predict future directions of development. All mentioned defines the subject of this article by theories of integration as means of analyzing and illuminating the integral lines of European integration. Following three theoretical approaches or conceptions are constant in the process: federalism, intergovernmentalism and neofunctionalism. Their outcomes and predictions can be applied to particular aspects of integration, starting from establishment of the Council of Europe as the first intergovernmental European organization after the Second World war, strengthening the role of institutions, transferring the competences, reforms processes fulfilled in the period between the adoption of the Single European Act and the Summit in Nice, and finally dilemmas surrounding the EU Constitution and signing of Lisbon Treaty, which will present significant test for further directions and dynamics of European integration.
Keywords
European integration; theoretical approaches; federalism; intergovernmentalism; neofunctionalism
Hrčak ID:
291032
URI
Publication date:
19.2.2008.
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