EU Decision-Making after the Eastern Enlargement: Interests and Influence of the new Member States
EU Decision-Making after the Eastern Enlargement: Interests and Influence of the new Member States

Summary/Abstract: This article is a shortened version of a summary that was published in July 2010 as part of an extensive research report carried out by the Institute for World Economic at the order of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies. In this paper four categories of influencing EU affairs by a Member State were introduced, namely agenda-setters (innovative behaviour), decision-shapers (creative influence), decision-takers (passive approach) and decision-blockers (or veto players) reflecting a kind of rigidity in the name of defending national interests. This behaviour was tested on selected policy areas with a view to identifying the new Member States’ impact on European integration so far.

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