EU REgional Groups: To speak with one voice. The influence of regional groups on their level of consensus in EU decision making

Jens Welling

Master's thesis

Anotácia:

This thesis researches the influence the degree of formality, the degree of interdependency, and the degree of political, economic, Eurosceptic and cultural heterogeneity has on the level of consensus of EU regional groups. A comparative case study of the EU regional groups the Baltics, the Benelux and the Visegrad 4 is done to come to results. This is done through a covariational analysis of the EU regional groups in a period these groups were active on the EU level (2010-2016). The results of this thesis show, contrary to theorethical expectations, no relationship between either the economic heterogeneity or the degree of formality and the degree of consensus of EU regional groups.

Abstract:

This thesis researches the influence the degree of formality, the degree of interdependency, and the degree of political, economic, Eurosceptic and cultural heterogeneity has on the level of consensus of EU regional groups. A comparative case study of the EU regional groups the Baltics, the Benelux and the Visegrad 4 is done to come to results. This is done through a covariational analysis of the EU regional groups in a period these groups were active on the EU level (2010-2016). The results of this thesis show, contrary to theorethical expectations, no relationship between either the economic heterogeneity or the degree of formality and the degree of consensus of EU regional groups.

Keywords

Regionalism, Visegrad, Baltics, Benelux, Cultural Heterogeneity, Economic Heterogeneity, Political Heterogeneity, Eurosceptic Heterogeneity, Interdependency, EU, EU Decision-Making, Regional Groups, Consensus, Co-Variational Analysis.

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 16. 10. 2018

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Obhajoba proběhla 6. 7. 2018
• Vedúci: Dr. Femke van Esch
• Oponent: prof. PhDr. Vít Hloušek, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / odbor:
International Territorial Studies / European Governance