The Organisation of Differentiated Integration in the Context of the Poly-Crisis

Abstract

While differentiation has been identified as a systemic asset of the process of European integration (Schimmelfennig, Leuffen, & Rittberger, 2015) and is definitely not a neglected topic within the field of European studies (Leruth, Gänzle, & Trondal, 2019), so far scholarship has a limited understanding of the implications this phenomenon has for the shape of the EU’s organisational structures (see Schimmelfennig & Winzen, 2020, p. 192). In the framework of the EU treaties, member states organise differentiation through various measures such as Enhanced Cooperation (Kroll & Leuffen, 2015), varying patterns of representation within the management boards of EU agencies or special committees in the EU Council. Furthermore, during the sovereign debt crisis, the euro area member states have established and reinforced structures that are exclusively functional to them (Schimmelfennig, 2016; Schlosser, 2019). Especially in the context of the ongoing poly-crisis, DI is becoming increasingly relevant for structures of EU governance. This development raises numerous questions for the academic debate. This panel aims to shed light on a few of them, focusing particularly on normative considerations and observable patterns of institutional design. Authors present empirical evidence on what EU citizens consider a fair organisation of DI and discuss federalism as an alternative model to allow for sovereignty on multiple levels of governance. Moreover, contributions within this panel examine to what extent the sector-specific institutions in the EU are permeable towards associated third countries and scrutinise how over the course of the sovereign debt crisis, the Eurogroup and the Eurogroup Working Group have developed into critical venues of deliberation and consensus-finding in which euro area member states could handle their own affairs. Building upon these different perspectives, the panel aims at initiating a debate on the so far understudied relevance of DI for the organisation of EU governance and produce ideas for future research projects.

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