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What Happened to Fortress Europe?: External Trade Policy Liberalization in the European Union

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  • Hanson, Brian T.

Abstract

In an era when many fear the breakdown of the global trading order through the emergence of relatively closed regional trading blocs, assessing the effects of European integration on external European Union trade is particularly important. Surprisingly, despite a severe recession accompanied by record levels of unemployment, a history of increasing protection under similar economic circumstances, and alarming predictions about “fortress Europe,” external trade policy in the region has liberalized in recent years. Prominent trade policy explanations emphasizing changing interest group demands or changing ideas of policymakers are inadequate to account for this significant change in trade policy. Instead, much of this liberalization can be best understood as an unforeseen consequence of the Single European Act. Completing the single market undermined the effectiveness of national trade measures and made it difficult to enact new trade barriers, thus producing a liberal bias in European policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Hanson, Brian T., 1998. "What Happened to Fortress Europe?: External Trade Policy Liberalization in the European Union," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(1), pages 55-85, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:intorg:v:52:y:1998:i:01:p:55-85_44
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    Cited by:

    1. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/f5vtl5h9a73d5ls976m34ikh5 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Cornelia Woll, 2009. "Who Captures Whom? Trade Policy Lobbying in the European Union," Post-Print hal-00972851, HAL.
    3. Olivier Cadot & Douglas Webber, 2001. "Banana Splits and Banana Slips:The European and Trans-Atlantic Politics of Bananas," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 3, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    4. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/8601 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Moo Sung Lee, 2004. "The European Union beyond 2004: Small States and Trade Policy," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 7(1), pages 19-35, March.
    6. Eden, Lorraine & Molot, Maureen Appel, 2002. "Insiders, outsiders and host country bargains," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 8(4), pages 359-388.
    7. Cornelia Woll, 2009. "Who Captures Whom? Trade Policy Lobbying in the European Union," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-00972851, HAL.
    8. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/8601 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Nelson, Douglas, 2006. "The political economy of antidumping: A survey," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 554-590, September.
    10. Cornelia Woll, 2006. "Trade Policy Lobbying in the European Union: Who Captures Whom?," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-00972822, HAL.
    11. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/8601 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Cornelia Woll, 2006. "Trade Policy Lobbying in the European Union: Who Captures Whom?," Working Papers hal-00972822, HAL.
    13. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/8601 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Samia Tavares, 2006. "The political economy of the European customs classification," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 129(1), pages 107-130, October.
    15. Amandine Crespy, 2014. "A dialogue of the deaf? Conflicting discourses over the EU and services liberalisation in the WTO," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/168510, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    16. Alasdair R. Young, 2001. "Extending European Cooperation: The European Union and the 'New' International Trade Agenda," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 12, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    17. Sean D. Ehrlich, 2009. "How Common is the Common External Tariff?," European Union Politics, , vol. 10(1), pages 115-141, March.
    18. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/f5vtl5h9a73d5ls976m34ikh5 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/f5vtl5h9a73d5ls976m34ikh5 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Thomas Christiansen & Bongchul Kim, 2023. "EU-Korea trade relations in the context of global disruption: political and legal perspectives," Asia Europe Journal, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 527-544, December.
    21. Silvia Console Battilana, 2007. "Uncovered Power: External Agenda Setting, Sophisticated Voting, and Transnational Lobbying," CESifo Working Paper Series 2138, CESifo.
    22. Paola Conconi, 2009. "The EU Common Commercial Policy and Global/Regional Trade Regulation," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/13344, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    23. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/f5vtl5h9a73d5ls976m34ikh5 is not listed on IDEAS

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