Scandinavia and Switzerland: small, successful and stubborn towards the EU

Abstract:

Economic theory of integration expects small states and highly industrialised states to be more likely to integrate than larger or less advanced countries. Why then, did Norway, Sweden and Switzerland choose for a long time not to join the European Union? Existing political economy approaches cannot fully explain this stubbornness because they neglect the 'hidden' impact of national identities. Constructivist approaches, in turn, offer insights on identity-related variables but fail to assess tangible benefits. This article argues that economic incentives for EU membership co-exist with and are often dominated by domestic and geo-historical constraints. Hence, both material interests and ideational factors are necessary to explain reluctant integration policies.