%0 Journal Article
%T The Energy Community of Southeast Europe: A neo-functionalist project of regional integration
%A Stephan Renner
%J European Integration Online Papers
%D 2009
%I ECSA-Austria
%X This paper explains the emergence of the Energy Community of Southeast Europe with (1) the European Union¡¯s external energy policy, (2) the specific regional approach of the EU at the Western Balkans and (3) the neo-functionalist ideas of those European Commission officials that were crucially involved in the process. The guiding ideas of the Commission officials involved were directly drawn from a 'popular version' of neo-functionalism: the idea that peace can be established with integration starting in a highly technical area and with creating the institutional capacity for a possible spill-over into other areas. Through this export of the EU¡¯s rules and institutions in the energy sector the Energy Community represents an innovative new mode of governance in Southeast Europe.
%K energy policy
%K governance
%K enlargement
%K Europeanization
%K neo-functionalism
%K regulation
%K integration theory
%K international regimes
%K regional development
%K European Commission
%K political science
%U http://eiop.or.at/eiop/pdf/2009-001.pdf