The Politics of Making Policies in the European Union

Abstract

In the light of Brexit and the upcoming departure of the UK from the EU, Europe, its Union and its policies are in the public gaze and will be for the foreseeable future, and that gaze is troubled. Although its governing processes and objectives have hitherto been presented as if they were a bedrock of stability, Europe looks fragile at the moment and its governance insecure. It is therefore all the more urgent to understand how EU policies are made, by whom and in the name of which values. The papers on this panel provide fresh insights into these questions focusing on emerging topical issues. They attest to the importance of studying on-going actor practices and power relations to grasp the fragility – or stability – of an EU facing global change.