This paper has attempted to examine the relationship between the European Union (EU) and national states in the EU system. In the developments of the EU over the last two decades decision-making competencies are shared across multiple levels of polity...
This paper has attempted to examine the relationship between the European Union (EU) and national states in the EU system. In the developments of the EU over the last two decades decision-making competencies are shared across multiple levels of polity-subnational, national and supranational. In this regard, it can be mentioned that the EU system becomes multi-level system which describes the dispersion of decision-making competencies across multiple layers. The changing role of national states is pivotal in interpreting the EU system. National states have lost some of their control in their territories and are being melded into a multi-level polity by numerous subnational and supranational actors.
In examining the relationship between the EU and national states, this paper takes up the model of multi-level and points out two set of ideal types: conflict and cooperation, exclusion and inclusion. This types result from complex interactions among various actors in multiple levels, are fairly associated with character and structure of state, civil society and national politics.