Europeanisation and the challenge of institutional ddaptation in Malta : learning from the United Kingdom experience

Abstract

Europeanisation is the influence of the European institutional level on the national institutional level and the impact of the European Union's decisions on the political and administrative structures of the Member States. Europeanisation often begins before membership. The United Kingdom had to pass through Europeanisation, when it first applied and then later when it joined the European Community, in order to adapt its institutions with those of the EC. Since Malta has now joined the European Union, it is very important to see how the Maltese Institutions have adapted to this change. It is also important to see how they are now changing from the negotiating period to the accession period. In 1990, the Government undertook a process of administrative adaptation. For example many departments have been set up like the EU Directorate within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Negotiating Secretariat within the Office of the Prime Minister, the Health and Safety Authority, the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC), the Malta-EU Information Centre (MIC) and the Office of Review in each Ministry. The Maltese Parliament will also discuss EU legislative initiatives. In this thesis we will see if these institutions will continue after membership or whether they will have to adapt to comply with the tasks that membership brings about.