NextGenerationEU’s bargaining outcome and European integration: a media analysis

This paper draws upon the existing literature on European integration and offers an analysis for understanding the bargaining outcome of the European recovery plan, NextGenerationEU. By analyzing references found in news articles and in the light of neofunctionalism, liberal intergovernmentalism and postfunctionalism, this thesis recognizes the role of economically powerful Member States for the adoption of the agreement and for the issuance of a common debt to finance the plan (1). The final distribution between loans and grants is seen as the result of a political debate among European countries, in particular in a Northern / Southern European division (2). Finally, the role of supranational institutions, especially the European Commission, even if it is not the identified root cause, was also an important element during the negotiations (3). These findings are enlightening because they show that European integration theories are complementary and useful together to understand the...Show moreThis paper draws upon the existing literature on European integration and offers an analysis for understanding the bargaining outcome of the European recovery plan, NextGenerationEU. By analyzing references found in news articles and in the light of neofunctionalism, liberal intergovernmentalism and postfunctionalism, this thesis recognizes the role of economically powerful Member States for the adoption of the agreement and for the issuance of a common debt to finance the plan (1). The final distribution between loans and grants is seen as the result of a political debate among European countries, in particular in a Northern / Southern European division (2). Finally, the role of supranational institutions, especially the European Commission, even if it is not the identified root cause, was also an important element during the negotiations (3). These findings are enlightening because they show that European integration theories are complementary and useful together to understand the outcome of negotiations, especially during an international crisis.Show less

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NextGenerationEU’s bargaining outcome and European integration: a media analysis