‘Enlargement Waves’ and Interest Group Participation in the EU Policy-Making System: Establishing a Framework of Analysis

Abstract: How does enlargement affect the EU system of interest group intermediation? We introduce an analytical framework to conceptualise the impact of enlargement. 'Enlargement waves' do not only result in a 'top-down' process of Europeanisation of national interest intermediation systems, but also have a 'bottom-up' effect. This comprises uploading national organisational features and a broader scope of activities onto the EU system of interest representation. The enlargement impact can be seen on the structural properties (organisational features and resources) and the agenda content (scope of associational agenda, policy direction, inter-group balance) of EU-wide interest associations ('Eurogroups'). The magnitude and scope of impact are conditioned by two groups of parameters linked with the source and target of the impact. The first group refers to the particular features of each 'enlargement wave' (e.g. which and how many countries are involved, national system of interest intermediation) and the second to Eurogroup attributes (e.g. willingness to broaden membership base, organisational and decision-making structures).