Europeanization and Transnational States : Comparing Nordic Central Governments

A comparative analysis of the impact of the European Union on central government administration: uses a transformative perspective to examine changes as countries adapt to increased EU integration.

This book investigates what happens to an organized political unit when it becomes part of a larger entity and, in particular, how increased European integration and the tentative moves towards a transnational state will affect the European Union''s nation state. Europeanization and Transnational States provides an extensive comparative survey of the central governments in four Scandinavian countries and analyses the ways in which the European Union has influenced the day-to-day work of their state administrations. It includes coverage of Denmark, a long-standing member of the European Union; Finland and Sweden, countries that became members in 1995 and Norway, a non-member.

The book utilises various theoretical perspectives - such as adaptation to external pressure, strategic choice and path-dependencies - to explain the changes related to increased European integration in central government agencies. It concludes that the consequences of Europeanization can be described as the growth of a transnational administration where identities as well as loyalties are created in processes that transcends the borders of states.