Project description
A closer look at agreements between the EU and third countries
Representatives from the European Commission and the European Council work together with third countries via bilateral agreements. In this context, the EU-funded JBinBA project will study what happens when they are empowered to amend the agreement or adopt binding decisions since this raises concerns about their democratic legitimacy. By focusing on joint bodies (JBs), which are common institutions set up between the EU and third countries, the project will explore the European Commission’s discretion in these bodies. The project will consider whether the size and regime type (democracy) play a role in states’ determination of agency losses. Researchers will map JBs across 550 bilateral agreements.
Objective
This project will put a spotlight on joint bodies (JBs), which refers to common institutions set up between the European Union (EU) and third countries through their bilateral agreements. They bring together representatives from the EU (Commission and/or Council) and the third country to oversee implementation. Beyond the ability to discuss common problems and issue recommendations, they are sometimes even empowered to amend the agreement or adopt binding decisions, which raises concerns about their democratic legitimacy. Although the number of JBs run into the hundreds and their decision-making powers attract increasing attention, our knowledge about them is limited. This project would help to significantly narrow this discrepancy.
The objective of this project is to explain Commission discretion in these bodies. We draw on principal–agent theory to highlight that, in designing international institutions, states rationally weigh expected benefits of delegation against expected costs. We argue that the size of agency losses is determined by whether agreements are concluded in an area of high politics, the need for policy expertise, the duration of an agreement, and the underlying decision rule among principals. In terms of third-country characteristics, we theorize that size and regime type (democracy) play a role in states’ determination of agency losses. To test these expectations, we will first generate an original dataset mapping JBs across ca. 550 bilateral agreements and primarily use regression analyses, albeit with some qualitative evidence from interviews to corroborate the causal mechanisms. Second, we will use stratified random sampling to conduct a survey among at least 100 Commission officials active in JBs and interpret the data employing both quantitative and qualitative methods.
This project will be empirically innovative, theoretically informed, and methodologically rigorous and produce findings relevant for scholars, policy makers, and citizens.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
5020 SALZBURG
Austria
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.