Small Countries in the EU: The Czech Republic Case

Abstract

This study analyses the behaviour of the Czech Republic as a small European Union (EU) member country. For the analysis the model of Baldur Thorhallsson was used, which for small EU countries assumes the presence of several characteristics - their good relationship with the European Commission (EC), prioritization of objectives and the flexibility of administration. The presence of these elements in Czech behaviour is analysed using data obtained from 10 interviews with Czech diplomats acting both in the Permanent Representation at the EU (PermRep) and at the capital or the European Commission. In conclusion, the study finds that although the Czech Republic fulfils the conditions for the behaviour of a small country, it cannot adequately balance the limits that arise from the given data. As an explanation for this discrepancy, we offer the low level of socialization of the Czech Republic in the EU and reluctance to accept the role of a small member state.

Keywords:

• Czech Republic
• small state
• permanent representation
• European integration
• Council of the EU

Notes

1. Keohane (1969), Katzenstein (1985), Ingebritsen (2006), Neumann and Gstöhl (2004), Toje (2010), Panke (2010).

2. Panke (2010, 15) notes that from the application of the criterion according to which one is a small EU country, a below-average number of votes in the EU Council, it is possible to identify 19 small member states (out of the former number of 27) in the EU. After the accession of Croatia, the number is 20 out of 28.

3. The Czech Republic can be regarded as a small country according to almost all of the criteria used for the determination of small countries in the EU – population, territory, number of votes in the Council of the EU, the number of seats in the EP, GDP, etc. For conceptualization of small countries, see Thorhallsson 2006.

4. An instruction is an official document coming from a country´s capital that for Brussels-based diplomats defines the scope for negotiation on a particular issue.

5. Sidenius (1986) commented on the validity of the model within the scope of Scandinavia, Mach (1999) discussed the case of Switzerland, and Kuokštis (2011) applied Katzenstein’s postulates to the Baltic states.

6. The general position differs from the instruction precisely by its more general nature and must be prepared for each proposal that the European Commission submits to the states.

7. A frequently cited example of a well-functioning small country is Estonia. Independently of the questions, it was mentioned by four respondents. The Estonians are able to use all the quotas allocated in the institutions occupation, which helps them even more in their coherence (Interviews 4, 7, 9 and 10).

8. Illustrative of this may be the area of the internal market, where the Czech Republic does not prevent further unification and reduction of barriers. The EC contacts the relevant attaché fairly regularly when discussing legislation and this sometimes appears as a plea for the presentation of an EC proposal on behalf of the Czech Republic. Another example is the directive on services on the internal market 2006/123/ES, where the Czech Republic was the leading state in its implementation. Effective leadership was based on compliance with the EC, which shared a general attitude with the Czech Republic and the will to enforce legislation on this topic (Interviews 5 and 10).

9. The European Commission's Digital Agenda forms one of the seven pillars of the Europe 2020 Strategy which sets objectives for the growth of the EU by 2020. The Digital Agenda's main objective is to develop a digital single market in order to generate smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe, and it is made up of seven pillars.

10. For example, when it comes to public Euroscepticism (which can be measured through questions asked by Eurobarometer surveys), the Czech Republic belongs among the most Eurosceptic countries among the new EU member states both in terms of diffuse and specific Euroscepticism (Kaniok forthcoming).