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

TY - JOUR

T1 - Enlargement and the Environment

T2 - The Changing Behaviour of the European Parliament

AU - Burns, Charlotte Jennie

AU - Carter, Neil Thomas

AU - Worsfold, Nicholas Timothy

PY - 2012/1

Y1 - 2012/1

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=83155184796&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/j.1468-5965.2011.02212.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1468-5965.2011.02212.x

M3 - Article

VL - 50

SP - 54

EP - 70

JO - JCMS-JOURNAL OF COMMON MARKET STUDIES

JF - JCMS-JOURNAL OF COMMON MARKET STUDIES

SN - 0021-9886

IS - 1

ER -