New institutionalism and the governance of the Single European Market

Abstract

This article examines the new institutionalist research agenda in the context of the European Union (EU). Specifically, it examines the historical institutionalist approach, setting out different aspects of EU governance that it may be able to capture: systemic change; differentiated governance structures across policy subsystems; policy evolution; and the normative dimension. The article then examines these different aspects, drawing on evidence associated with the Single European Market programme, launched in 1985.