The role of the Commission in Intergovernmental Agreements in the field of energy. A foot in the door technique?

Abstract

The European Commission has been active in proposing legislation on the exchange of information on Intergovernmental Agreements (IGAs) in the field of energy, pushing for an ex ante control mechanism which most member states have been reluctant to accept. This article aims to explain the extent to which and the conditions under which the Commission has been able to achieve its IGAs objectives. It argues that they have been achieved to a considerable extent due to the ability of the Commission to build on its agenda‐setting powers and the preference alignment of member states. The article offers a thorough analysis of two consecutive legislative processes: the first leading to Decision 994/2012 and the second repealing the former and leading to Decision 2017/684. The analysis builds on legislative documents, secondary sources and data collected during two rounds of interviews in 2013 and 2018.