Based on an in-depth field research, this study questions the contemporary issue of the "internationalization of the state" in Europe by analyzing the cooperation between the EU and the OECD on “public governance” issues. It analyzes the consequences, in the European case, of the new interest shown since the 90's for “public governance” by International Organizations (IO) originally devoted to economic development (like the OECD or the WB) (Ougaard, Higgott, 2002; Barnett, Finnemore, 2004; Mahon, McBride, 2008; Pal, 2012).
The traditional "realism versus functionalism" debate still shapes an important part of the academic literature devoted to the IO’s activities. The analyses generally focus on the degree of autonomy gained (or not) by the IO towards their member states. In our study, we show rather the interplay between international, transnational and state actors in the very elaboration and international diffusion of standards of state administration in Europe. We show that it turns out relevant to include the IO activities in the definition of the “transnationalisation”.
Our field research is centered on the interaction between the OECD (mainly the GOV and SIGMA departments) and the EU (mainly the European Commission). It is completed by a sub-study on the national representatives in these organizations (to take into account the national component of the production of the international) and of the European Public Administration Network (to integrate the important role of INGOs).
Our case-study illustrates that the contemporary redefinition of the state sovereignty is partly linked to the legitimacy gained by extra-territorial organizations, relatively autonomous of the sovereignty problematic, in questions related to the organization of the core of the State. This evolution partially reshapes the imaginary of the State by considering, that its administration is a matter of international comparison, more than an historical construction linked to a specific territory.
