Dynamics of Decision-Making in the Area of the Single Market of the European Union

The article examines the variety of factors that can influence the speed of decision-making in the European Union in the area of the Single Market (SM), and also assesses the degree of such influence. We use quantitative analysis methods based on spatial analysis and the Cox model to determine which factors accelerate and which ones slow down the legislative process in the area of the SM during the period from 1990 to 2019. The results of our work show that the speed of decision-making in the field of the SM is influenced by the same factors as the legislative process in the EU in general, namely: a type and complexity of a legislative act, an institutional and a regulatory framework that determines a decision-making procedure. We conclude that only the Amsterdam Treaty and the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2007 have significantly accelerated the decision-making process. We’ve managed to identify a fundamental difference regarding the legislative process in the area of the SM. In contrast to secondary legislation in general in the area of the SM a decision-making procedure (consultation or regular legislative procedure) does not affect the speed of decision-making. We found out that out of seven strategic documents, only two had given a significant impetus to the development of the SM. These features of decision-making process in the area of SM constitute a basis for further research and the proposed methods of analysis can be extended in order to assess integration dynamics in other areas of regulation in integration entities.

1. Bolstad J., Cross J.P. Not all treaties are created equal: the effects of treaty changes on legislative efficiency in the EU. Journal of common market studies. 2016, Vol. 54, N 4, P. 793-808. DOI: 10.1111/jcms.12349

2. Cini M., Borragan N.P. European Union politics, 6 th edition. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2018, 532 p.

3. Cox D.R. Regression models and life tables (with discussion). Journal of the Royal statistical society. Series B. 1972, Vol. 34, P. 187-220.

4. Drüner D., Klüver H., Mastenbroek E., Schneider G. The core or the winset? Explaining decision-making duration and policy change in the European Union.Comparative.

5. European politics. 2018, Vol. 16, P. 271-289. DOI: 10.1057/CEP.2015.26

6. Golub J., Steunenberg B. How time affects EU decision-making. European Union politics. 2007, N 8(4), P. 555-566. DOI: 10.1177/1465116507082814

7. Hurka S., Haag M. Policy complexity and legislative duration in the European Union. European Union politics. 2020, N 21(1), P. 87-108. DOI: 10.1177/1465116519859431

8. Kaveshnikov N.Y., Domanov А.О. Factors defining speed of decision-making in the European Union (qualitative analysis).International processes. 2022. (in print).

9. Kondtratieva N.B. European model of market integration: establishment and perspective. Moscow: Institute of Europe of the Russian academy of sciences, 2020, 384 p. (In Russ.).

10. König T. Divergence or convergence? From ever-growing to ever-slowing European legislative decision making. European journal of political research. 2007, N 46, P. 417-444. DOI: 10.1111/J.1475-6765.2006.00648.X-I1

11. Klüver H., Sagarzazu I. Ideological congruency and decision-making speed: The effect of partisanship across European Union institutions. European Union politics. 2013, Vol. 14, N 3, P. 388-407. DOI: 10.1177/1465116512472938

12. Marinello M., Sapir A., Terzi A. The long road towards the European single market. Bruegel working paper. 2015, N 1, 36 p.

13. Pellkmans J., Hanf D., Chang M. The EU internal market in comparative perspective, economic, political and legal analyses. Bruxelles; Bern; Berlin; Frankfurt am Main; New York; Oxford; Wien: P.I.E. Peter Lang, 2008, 314 p.

14. Pellkmans J. The single market remains the decisive power of the EU. CEPS policy priorities for 2019-2024. 2019. Mode of access: https://www.ceps.eu/ceps-publications/the-single-market-remains-the-decisive-power-of-the-eu/(accessed: 07.06.2022).

15. Rasmussen A., Toshkov D. The inter-institutional division of power and time allocation in the European Parliament. West European politics. 2011, Vol. 34(1), P. 71-96. DOI: 10.1080/01402382.2011.523545

16. Toshkov D.D. The impact of the Eastern enlargement on the decision-making capacity of the European Union. Journal of European public policy. 2017, N 24:2, P. 177-196. DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2016.1264081

17. Tsebelis G., Garrett G. Legislative politics in the European Union. European Union politics. 2000, Vol. 1, N 1, P. 9-36. DOI: 10.1177/1465116500001001002

18. Wallace H., Pollack M.A., Young A.R. Policy-making in the European Union, 7 th edition. Oxford: Oxford university press, 2015, 574 p.

19. Weiss F., Kaupa C. European Union internal market law. Cambridge: Cambridge university press, 2014, 360 p. DOI: 10.1017/cbo9781107785366