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European Integration

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European Integration: The end of just the beginning?

Integration, Fragmentation (INRL30050)
Dr. Tobias Theiler

12th December 2014
Student Number: 11913321
Word Count (including bibliography): 2495

With reference to Neofunctionalism and intergovernmentalism, compare and contrast these two international relations theories in relation to further integration and unification of the European Union.
There is much debate in contemporary society about the future of the European Union. The most recent 2014 election results to the European Parliament show an increase in the number of seats for many Eurosceptic parties. This is coupled with most recent Eurobarometer polls that show trust of the European Union is at an all-time low for …show more content…

The theory proposes to build a European community through the concept of spillover, with a particular emphasis on economic determination. The idea behind neofunctionalism in relation to the European integration process is that eventually spill-over effects will lead to a fully integrated European entity with a strong centralised government. However, the process of full European integration has yet to happen, as integration continues to become a lengthy and difficult process. It is a significant burden to integrate so many different people, economies and policies. However, this is what neofunctionalists argue will be the eventual result and they use the EU experience not just as an example, but as the model for regional integration (Bilal, 2007). Neofunctionalists draw our attention to the fact that the EU has been involved in an increasing number of different trade agreements in recent years, which could possibly lead to spill-over effects in other areas. Furthermore, the EU continues to grow with the 2004 and 2007 enlargements of the European Union in Eastern Europe, along with continuing membership negotiations with Turkey and …show more content…

The institutional balance of power shifted from the European Commission towards the Council of Ministers and thus towards national elites. This is evidence that neofunctionalism’s concept of spillover does not always occur. The crisis was caused through a conflict between French President Charles de Gaulle and other member states within the union, specifically Italy and Germany. The conflict was over the Common Agricultural Policy, which France wanted to create an agreement on, but was unwilling to agree to closer integration by the creation of majority voting in the Council of Ministers. Any chance of mediation collapsed when France took over the presidency. Germany and Italy were unwilling to give way to French demands. The result was that President de Gaulle, in a move that asserted the power of national governments, withdrew his ministers from the Council of Ministers. Charles de Gaulle demonstrated that states would not automatically give up their national sovereignty to the union and this action most likely contributed the abandonment of Neo-functionalist theory in the

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