Kjell A. Eliassen

The European Union : how democratic is it?

Introduction - Svein S Andersen and Kjell A Eliassen Dilemmas, Contradictions and the Future of European Democracy PART ONE: NUMERICAL DEMOCRACY, CORPORATIVE PLURALISM AND LOBBYING IN EUROPEAN POLITICS Euro-Parties and European Parties - Mogens N Pedersen New Arenas, New Challenges and New Strategies EU-Lobbying - Svein S Andersen and Kjell A Eliassen Between Representativity and Effectiveness The Modern West European State and the European Union - Wolgang Wessels Democratic Erosion or a New Kind of Polity? PART TWO: EU POLICY-MAKING AND NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS The French EU Decision-Making - Christian Lequesne Between Destablization and Adaptation European Policy-Making and National Institutions - The Case of Belgium - Cecilia Andersen Italy - Federiga Maria Bindi In Need of More EU Democracy PART THREE: EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS: LEGITIMACY AND DEMOCRACY The Role of the Commission - Finn Laursen The Role of the Council - Fiona Hayes-Renshaw Voting Power under the EU Constitution - Jan E Lane, Reinert Moeland and Sven Berg The European Parliament - Juliet Lodge PART FOUR: THE FUTURE OF EU DEMOCRACY The European Union - Rolf Gustavsson 1996 and beyond a Personal View from the Side-Line The European Union and the Erosion of Parliamentary Democracy - Svein S Andersen and Tom Burns A Study of Post-Parliamentary Governance Democracy - Svein S Andersen and Kjell A Eliassen Traditional Concerns in New Institutional Settings

Professionalization of Legislatures: Long-Term Change in Political Recruitment in Denmark and Norway

Everywhere a disparity can be observed between the socioeconomic composition of the electorate and the composition of the elected, representative body, which acts as a legislature for the society. Microcosm and macro- cosm are never identical; the legislature never mirrors the population at large. This is a universal generalization. It holds true for all representative systems at all times. It is furthermore true that the character of this disparity differs cross-nationally and over time: each legislature is unique in this sense.

Foreign and Security Policy in the European Union

Introduction - Kjell A Eliassen The New European Foreign and Security Policy Agenda PART ONE: EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY The CFSP and the Nation State - G Pinar Tank The Single European Act - Marit Sj[sl]ovaag The Common Foreign and Security Policy from Maastricht to Amsterdam - Arnhild and David Spence The 1996 IGC - Catriona Gourlay and Eric Remacle The Actors and their Interaction PART TWO: NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGIES France and the European Project - Yves Boyer Internal and External Issues The Security Policy of a Unified Germany - Reimund Seidelmann British Security Policy - Michael Clark Spanish Security Policy and the Mediterranean Question - Esther Barb[ac]e PART THREE: SECURITY ISSUES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION Security Issues Emanating from the Mediterranean Basin - G Pinar Tank Security Implications of EU Expansion to the North and East - Esben Oust Heiberg The Future of Armament Cooperation in NATO and the WEU - Pierre de Vestel European Foreign and Security Policy in the Future - Kjell A Eliassen

Ever Closer Cooperation? The Limits of the ‘Norwegian Method’ of European Integration

The ‘No’ majorities in two referendums on European Community/Union (EC/EU) membership have set clear formal limits to Norways participation in European integration. However, pro-EU parliamentary majorities have tended to produce governments that seek as close cooperation with the EU as possible. This involves a kind of quasi-membership of the EU, particularly in the light of cooperation beyond the limits of the European Economic Area (EEA). The result has been a ‘Norwegian method’ of European integration that combines access to the Single Market with efforts to ‘purchase’ participation in other policy areas and adapt to changing EU policies, legislation and treaties. Given the supranational character of the EUs Single Market rules, this kind of quasi-membership goes considerably further than non-members’ participation in most other international organisations. Although the EEA system has worked to the parties’ satisfaction, Norways efforts to keep up with a changing Single Market, maintain the institutions in the face of treaty change and enlargement, and accommodate new developments pertaining to the EUs second and third pillars represent considerable challenges to the Norwegian method of integration.

The privatisation of European telecommunications

This international volume presents a comprehensive, comparative study of the transformation of the European telecommunications industry from 1990 to the present. The focus of the book is on the old incumbent operators and their dramatic change from state agencies to listed companies.

Deregulation, privatisation and public service delivery: Universal service in telecommunications in Europe

Abstract This paper argues that the re-emergence of a universal service debate is a political reaction to the deregulation process and an attempt to force the role of the state and public services higher on the agenda at EU level. To this end, the concepts of ‘service public’ and ‘public services’ are explored in light of telecommunication deregulation and public service provision as expressed by the universal service obligation (USO) in France, Great Britain, Belgium and Norway. Attention is paid to the importance of securing general access to telecommunications. Findings suggest the legitimating effect of USO is greater than its practical effects, and that market, competition, and technology have largely addressed problems with universal access, equality, continuity and affordability, rather than regulations. Further, future regulations of universal service provision and ‘service public’ requirements will need to address concerns over citizens’ dislike of some effects of regional and national deregulation and liberalisation policies.