Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Liberalisation of the Internal Energy Market: Is the EU Dancing at a British Tempo?

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Energy Policy Making in the EU

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Energy ((LNEN,volume 28))

Abstract

This chapter aims to highlight relevant turning points with the convergence or divergence of the United Kingdom’s and the EU’s policy discourse on the liberalisation of an integrated energy market have affected the formation of a European energy policy agenda. It adopts Tallberg’s (2003) three-tiered agenda-building model to analyse three phases in which the United Kingdom has been a key player in shaping the internal energy market agenda: the 1970s, with an agenda exclusion strategy pursued as long EU interests did not match British preferences on market liberalisation; the 1980s–1990s, with an explicit uploading of Britain-to-EU agenda-setting strategy promoting energy market liberalisation according to successful domestic experiences; the 2000s, with an agenda-structuring approach that attempted to assert Britain’s leadership in climate-change action. The chapter ultimately argues that the goals, regulatory instruments and market-driven vision uploaded from the United Kingdom to the EU is the grounds for the current paradigm for energy policy making in the EU. The transformation towards sustainability goals and the ability of one actor to alter policy balances through narrative and discourse set out a valuable precedent for more cross-policy research in EU agenda-setting studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Andersen, S. (2000). EU Energy Policy: Interest Interaction and Supranational Authority. In Arena Working Paper No. 05/00. Oslo: Centre for European Studies, Universitetet i Oslo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baumgartner, F.R. (2013). Ideas and Policy Change. Governance, 26(2), 239–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumgartner, F.R., & Jones, B.D. (1991). Agenda Dynamics and Policy Subsystems. Journal of Politics, 53(4), 1044–1074.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumgartner, F.R., & Mahoney, C. (2008). The two faces of framing. Individual-level framing and collective issue definition in the EU. European Union Politics, 9(3), 435−449.

    Google Scholar 

  • Béland, D., & Cox, R.H. (2010). Ideas and politics in social science research. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Blyth, M. (2002). Great transformations: Economic ideas and institutional change in the twentieth century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchan, D. (2009). Energy and climate change: Europe at the crossroads. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabinet Office of the United Kingdom (1978). Benefits of north sea oil. Note by the secretary of the cabinet. CP (78)16, 6 February 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chwieroth, J.M. (2007). Testing and measuring the role of ideas: The case of neoliberalism in the international monetary fund. International Studies Quarterly, 51(1), 5–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, R.H., & Béland, D. (2013). Valence, Policy Ideas, and the Rise of Sustainability. Governance, 26(2), 307–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Department of Energy of the United Kingdom (1974). EEC energy policy. Note by the secretary of state for energy. 7 May 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drake, H. (2000). Jacques delors: Perspectives on a European leader. New York: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Duranti, A. (1997). Linguistic anthropology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Eikeland, P. (2004). The long and winding road to the Internal Energy Market. Consistencies and Inconsistencies in the EU Energy Policy. FNI Report, No. 8/2004. Oslo: Fridtjof Nansen Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eikeland, P. (2008). EU internal energy market policy: new dynamics in the brussels policy game?. FNI Report, No. 14/2008. Oslo: Fridtjof Nansen Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • EurActiv (2005). Blair calls for stronger EU energy policy co-operation. Brussels: EurActiv.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (1972). Necessary progress in community energy policy. Ref. COM (72) 1200. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (1976). Implementation of the energy policy guidelines drawn by the European council at its meeting in Rome on 2 December 1975. COM (76) 20. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (1985). New Community energy objectives. COM (85) 245 final. Brussels: European Commission

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (1988). The internal energy market. commission working document. Ref. COM (88) 238 final. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (1994). Green paper for a European energy policy. Ref. COM (94) 659 final. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (1998). Partnership for integration: A strategy for integrating environment into EU policies. COM (1998) 333 final. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2006). A European strategy for sustainable, competitive and secure energy. Ref. COM (2006) 105 final. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2007). An energy policy for Europe. Ref. COM (2007) 1 final. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2012).Making the internal market work. COM (2012) 663 final. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrett, G., & Tsebelis, G. (1999). Why Resist the Temptation to Apply Power Indices to the EU? Journal of Theoretical Politics, 11(3), 291–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hajer, M. (2005). Coalitions, practices, and meaning in environmental politics: from acid rain to BSE. In D. Howarth & J. Torfing (Eds.), Discourse theory in European politics. Identity, policy and governance. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helm, D. (2005). European energy policy: Securing supplies and meeting the challenge of climate change. background paper prepared for the United Kingdom Presidency of the EU, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Héritier, A. (1997). Policy-making by subterfuge: interest accommodation, innovation and substitute democratic legitimation in Europe - perspectives from distinctive policy areas. Journal of European Public Policy, 4(2), 171–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphreys, P., & Padgett, S. (2006). Globalization, the EU, and domestic governance in telecoms and electricity. Governance, 19(3), 383–406.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jabko, N. (2006).Playing the market: A Political Strategy for Uniting Europe (pp. 1985–2005). Ithaca:Cornell University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoerber, T. (2013). The origins of energy and environmental policy in Europe: The beginnings of a European environmental conscience. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, J. (2012). Britain must defend the single market. London: Centre for European Reform.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kingdon, J. (1984). Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. New York: Longman.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitzinger, U.W. (1960). The six and the seven. International Organization, 14(1), 20–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lenschow, A. (2002). Greening the EU: An Introduction. In A. Lenschow (Ed.), Environmental policy integration: Greening sectoral policies in Europe. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, N.J.D. (1977). Energy and the European Communities. London: Europa Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matláry, J. (1997). Energy policy in the EU. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGowan, F. (1989). The single energy market and energy policy: Conflicting agendas? Energy Policy, 17(6), 547–553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGowan, F. (2011). The UK and EU energy policy: From awkward partner to active protagonist? In V. Birchfield & J. Duffield (Eds.), Toward a common EU energy policy. Problems, progress, and prospects. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Padgett, S. (1992). The single European energy market: The politics of realization. Journal of Common Market Studies, 30(1), 53–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Padgett, S. (2003). Between synthesis and emulation: EU policy transfer in the power sector. Journal of European Public Policy, 10(2), 227–245.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Pollack, M. A. (1997). Delegation, agency, and agenda setting in the European Community. International Organization, 51(1), 99–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Princen, S. (2009). Agenda-Setting in the EU. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Princen, S. (2011). Agenda-setting strategies in EU policy processes. Journal of European Public Policy, 18(7), 927–943.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rayner, T., & Jordan, A. (2011). The United Kingdom: A paradoxical leader? In R.K.W. Wurzel & J. Conelly (Eds.), The EU as a leader in international climate change politics. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schattschneider, E.E. (1957). Intensity, visibility, direction and scope. The American Political Science Review, 51(4), 933–942.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, S.K. (1996). Sterile debates and dubious generalisations: European integration tested by telecommunications and electricity. Journal of Public Policy, 16(3), 233–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simonet, H. (1974). Presentation by Mr. Simonet, Vice-President of the Commission, of the documents of energy policy adopted by the Commission. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solorio, I., Bechberger, M., & Popartan, L. (2013). The European Energy Policy and its ‘Green Dimension’: Discursive hegemony and policy variations in the greening of energy policy. In P. Barnes & T. Hoeber (Eds.), Sustainable development and governance in Europe—the evolution of discourse. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solorio, I., & Morata, F. (2012). Introduction: The re-evolution of energy policy in Europe. In F. Morata & I. Solorio (Eds.), European energy policy: An environmental approach. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solorio, I. (2011). Bridging the Gap between Environmental Policy Integration and the EU’s Energy Policy: Mapping out the ‘Green Europeanisation’ of Energy Governance. Journal of Contemporary European Research, 7(3), 396–415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spaak, F. (1973). An energy policy for the European Community. Energy Policy, 1(1), 35–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tallberg, J. (2003). The agenda-shaping powers of the EU Council Presidency. Journal of European Public Policy, 10(1), 1–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tosun, J. (2011). When the grace period is over: assessing the new member states’ compliance with EU requirements for oil stockholding. Energy Policy, 39(11), 7156–7164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tosun, J., & Solorio, I. (2011). Exploring the energy-environment relationship in the EU: perspectives and challenges for theorizing and empirical analysis. In J. Tosun & I. Solorio (Eds.), Energy and Environment in Europe: Assessing a Complex Relationship. European Integration online Papers, Special Mini-Issue No. 1, 15(7).

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsebelis, G. (2002). Veto Players: How Political Institutions Work. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Israel Solorio is grateful to the Secretaría de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of the Mexico City Government for the postdoctoral grant to carry out the research at the Environmental Policy Research Centre of the Freie Universität Berlin, which resulted in this contribution.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Dret i Tecnologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Campus UAB–Edifici B, 08193, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain

    Andrea Ciambra

  2. Environmental Policy Research Centre, Freie Universität Berlin, Ihnestr 22, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Israel Solorio

Authors
  1. Andrea Ciambra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Israel Solorio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrea Ciambra .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Political Science, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany

    Jale Tosun

  2. Institute for Research Information and Quality Assurance (iFQ), Berlin, Germany

    Sophie Biesenbender

  3. Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany

    Kai Schulze

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer-Verlag London

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ciambra, A., Solorio, I. (2015). The Liberalisation of the Internal Energy Market: Is the EU Dancing at a British Tempo?. In: Tosun, J., Biesenbender, S., Schulze, K. (eds) Energy Policy Making in the EU. Lecture Notes in Energy, vol 28. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6645-0_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6645-0_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-6644-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-6645-0

  • eBook Packages: EnergyEnergy (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation