Schuette Leonard August
Department of Political Science Maastricht University Maastricht.
J Common Mark Stud. 2021 Sep;59(5):1142-1159. doi: 10.1111/jcms.13171. Epub 2021 Jan 14.
This article explains why the European Union has remained strikingly cohesive during the Brexit withdrawal negotiations by focussing on the role played by its negotiator: the European Commission''s Task Force 50. The analysis demonstrates that the Task Force 50 set out to forge unity among the EU27 by exercising both subtle instrumental and direct political leadership. The Commission significantly influenced the outcome of the negotiations by shaping the agenda and process, brokering deals, and ultimately achieving a withdrawal agreement that all member states signed up to. Its transparent and consultative behaviour generated trust among member states, which allowed the Commission to play such a prominent role. These findings challenge the prevailing view that the EU has become increasingly intergovernmental at expense of the Commission. Drawing on original interviews, the article substantiates this argument by tracing the Commission's leadership activities in the run-up to and throughout the withdrawal negotiations (2016-20).
本文通过聚焦欧盟谈判代表——欧盟委员会第50特别工作组所发挥的作用，解释了为何欧盟在英国脱欧谈判期间保持了惊人的凝聚力。分析表明，第50特别工作组通过运用微妙的工具性领导和直接的政治领导，着手在欧盟27国之间打造团结。欧盟委员会通过设定议程和谈判进程、促成交易，并最终达成一项所有成员国都签署的脱欧协议，对谈判结果产生了重大影响。其透明且具协商性的行为在成员国之间产生了信任，这使得欧盟委员会能够发挥如此突出的作用。这些发现挑战了一种普遍观点，即欧盟越来越以牺牲委员会为代价而走向政府间主义。本文借助原始访谈，通过追溯委员会在脱欧谈判前及整个谈判期间（2016年至2020年）的领导活动，证实了这一论点。
