Enlargement and the Environment: The Changing Behaviour of the European Parliament*

Abstract

It was widely anticipated before European Union enlargement that the accession states would have a negative impact on EU environmental governance. By extension, the European Parliament's (EP) reputation as an environmental champion might be threatened by the influx of MEPs from accession states. An analysis of all EP amendments to environmental legislation between 1999 and 2009 reveals that post-enlargement the EP was more successful at securing the adoption of its amendments into law but that these amendments were less radical. These changes arise from the institutional adaptation prompted by enlargement and a broad ideological shift to the right within the EP.

Does the European Union have a reverse gear? Policy dismantling in a hyperconsensual polity

“…All change events were given the same value, i.e., expansion in one dimension was not deemed to compensate for dismantling in another. Alternative options exist -for example, grading the environmental ambition of a measure (Burns et al 2012) -but this raises other issues of scale and generalization, while requiring expert knowledge of each item of legislation. More work is also needed on how dismantling discourses and changes in policy play out in and across other policy sectors.…”

Institutional and Policy Change in the European Parliament

“…For instance, ENVI (environment committee) was particularly successful in determining the EP's policy agenda and promoted more environmentally friendly positions, which won it its designation of 'environmental champion'. However, the committee has also been victim of its own success; after the 2009 elections, it was more successful at amending legislation, but enlargement and a more right-wing EP have also moderated the positions of the committee -leading the EP as a whole to adopt a more sympathetic stance towards pro-industry positions (Burns 2005;Burns et al 2012).…”

Broader, Deeper and Greener: European Union Environmental Politics, Policies, and Outcomes

“…In both committee and plenary, a simple majority of voting MEPs is required to approve an amendment. Over the years, the Parliament has often advocated raising environmental standards (59). After plenary EG40CH02-Selin ARI 14 July 2015 14:18 Act is adopted Act is adopted Act is adopted Act is adopted If both bodies accept a proposal or adopt identical amendments, it becomes law.…”

“…Such worries were largely unfounded; newer members have not acted as a uniform block in the European Council or the Council, instead joining various coalitions of member states around particular environmental issues (72,74). Similarly, their MEPs take varying positions on new environmental legislative proposals (59).…”