Samenvatting

Germany has been an influential member state in the European Union, but how influential has Germany been in shaping EU-policies? What domestic policies did Germany upload to shape the EU-policies and what major EU policies did it download to shape domestic policies? This dissertation has researched Germany’s strategies towards policy- uploading and Europeanization of German policies. Three policies, environmental, monetary and competition policy, have been the focus of this research. The information for this dissertation has been conducted by literature- and desk research.
The German commitment to Europe is stated in Article 23 and 24 of the German constitution. The commitment of the German constitution to the EU, the economic strength and feeling of reconciliation between the two former states have provided a ground for influencing European policies and Europeanization. The unification in 1990, enlarged Germany greatly and with that gave it a new central position within the EU. Member states, but also Germany itself, have been committed to see Germany strongly connected to the European Union.
The economic welfare enabled Germany to focus on policies, such as the environmental policy. Germany successfully uploaded national environmental measures in the EU, for example the German drinking water approach in 1980. The European Drinking Water Directive was modelled mostly on German regulation.
The German monetary policy was based on price stability and a strong currency to support international competitiveness. Germany acted as a policy leader by uploading the concept of the stable Deutsche Bundesbank to the European Union, as the European Central Bank. Germany regained a dominant position during the financial crisis by striving for a safer monetary policy.
Germany successfully uploaded a clause in the merger regulation, striving for more control of mergers by national institutes. It also managed to move the European Commission to provide for regional aid in the East German federal states, although these regions do sometimes fall short of the regional aid criteria.
The German influencing strategy has changed since the post-war period. In the beginning the uploading of policies tend to be rather idealistic and for a higher purpose. Especially since the financial crisis, Germany has the tendency to upload national preferences and policies. Correspondingly it is a more economic-based strategy which has been based on protecting the euro and creating a stable monetary policy.