Dissertation

PhD-FLSHASE-2017-23 The Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education DISSERTATION Defence held on 27/06/2017 in Luxembourg to obtain the degree of DOCTEUR DE L’UNIVERSITÉ DU LUXEMBOURG EN SCIENCES POLITIQUES by Sidonie FOLTÊTE-PARIS Born on 16 June 1982 in Besançon (France) THE EUROPEANISATION OF GERMAN, FRENCH AND LUXEMBOURGISH ECONOMIC INTEREST GROUPS: THE CASE OF THE BLUE CARD DIRECTIVE POLICY-MAKING PROCESS Dissertation defence committee Dr Robert Harmsen, Dissertation Supervisor Professor, University of Luxembourg Dr Harlan Koff, Chairman Professor, University of Luxembourg Dr Sabine Saurugger, Vice-Chairman Professor, Sciences Po Grenoble Dr David Howarth Professor, University of Luxembourg Dr Markus Haverland Professor, Erasmus University Rotterdam Abstract The Europeanisation of interest groups has been the subject of a substantial academic literature. Yet, within this body of research, multi-level venue shopping has stirred relatively little attention and the cognitive dimension of actors’ Europeanisation has remained largely untouched. This research project addresses these shortcomings by focusing on these two particular aspects. It explores the Europeanisation of domestic interest groups, understood as both the degree to which business organisations and labour unions deploy their activities at the level of the European Union (i.e. ‘strategic Europeanisation’) and the causal effects of European integration on interest organisations’ shift of perception (i.e. ‘cognitive Europeanisation). This dual perspective is applied to the study of German, French, and Luxembourgish actors’ behaviours in the case of the Blue Card Directive policy-making process on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for economic purposes. In order to examine the multi-faceted nature of interest group multi-level mobilisation and the evolution of their cognitive representations in relation to European policy developments, this dissertation relies on two distinct qualitative research methods. First, a multivariate approach based on data gathered in the field is employed. Three types of variables are utilised to structure the analysis, namely actors’ characteristics, the issue area, and domestic institutional features. The ways in which these different explanatory factors intersect provide original findings on the Europeanisation patterns of economic stakeholders. The second method rests on counterfactual scenarios and subsequent alternative non-EU-related explanatory factors. This thought experiment, which imagines what would have happened in the absence of EU engagement in legal immigration policy, and particularly highly skilled immigration policy, has the merit of isolating the effects of‘ Europe’ on the domestic level and, as such, of avoiding the methodological risk of attributing all observed policy changes to the European Union. Overall, results on ‘strategic Europeanisation’ reveal a high inclination of German economic non-state actors to resort to multi-level lobbying in the Blue Card Directive policy-making process and a conversely low propensity of their French counterparts to activate the supranational arena. Luxembourgish stakeholders show very little drive to activate their EU- level lobbying channels on the subject of highly skilled immigration policy. More specific Sidonie Foltête-Paris University of Luxembourg i findings point to the crucial importance of financial resources (i.e. staff size) and actors’ domestic embeddedness when deciding whether to make use of Europe, although in contrasted ways. As far as ‘cognitive Europeanisation’ is concerned, the study shows that the European Union did not shape actors’ shift of perception on labour immigration across the three countries under examination. Alternative explanations related to domestic labour market drivers and global policy diffusion appear to hold promise for explaining the reasons underlying these cognitive changes. As part of a broader picture, these additional elements contribute to the mapping exercise of trying to circumscribe the policy influence of the European Union. Sidonie Foltête-Paris University of Luxembourg ii Acknowledgements This doctoral project funded by the Fonds National de la Recherche would not have been possible without the help and guidance of many persons. First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Robert Harmsen, for his advice and support. Throughout this relatively long journey of five years – with a nine-month interruption for maternity reasons – he has been particularly attentive in providing me with sufficient latitude to carry out my research independently, while also providing reframing when necessary. Thank you, Robert, for your enduring patience and understanding, not to mention your pragmatism, which has been much helpful to carry this endeavour to completion. Furthermore, I would particularly like to thank the members of my research steering committee, Professor Sabine Saurugger from Sciences Po Grenoble and Professor Harlan Koff from the University of Luxembourg, for their academic guidance, kind words, and encouragements. Their advice and constructive criticisms provided me with most valuable food for thought and helped me substantially go through the ups and downs of this PhD thesis. I am also very appreciative to Professor Christof Roos from the Free University Brussels for his guidance on relevant interviewees and his invitation to participate in the June 2014 conference hosted by the Political Science Department of the Maastricht University. In addition, I am indebted to all representatives from interest groups, national ministries, EU institutions, European think-tanks, who kindly took the time to answer my questions and, at times, to introduce me to their colleagues. This research project would not have materialised without their help. Although it is not possible to mention all of those to whom I owe my deep gratitude, some who were especially helpful need to be named. My special thanks go to Ms Ágnes Töttős, legal expert of migration at the Hungarian Interior Ministry, who gave me valuable insight on the functioning of the European Union in the migration field and kindly put me in contact with her colleagues. Ágnes became a dear friend, who shared her thoughts and comments with me whenever I needed them. I am also very grateful for the unconditional support of Ms Séverine Féraud, Deputy Head of the BDA European Office. Besides being a dear friend, Séverine devoted endless time to gathering information and gaining access to key interlocutors. Similarly, I received the most precious assistance from Mr Christophe Lefèvre, CFE-CGC National Secretary responsible for Europe and International Affairs. I would also like to warmly thank representatives of the European Commission. Mr Jean-Louis De Brouwer (Director, European Commission, DG ECHO) and Mr Martin Schieffer (Head of Unit, European Commission, DG HOME). My thanks also go to Mr Constantinos Fotakis (Former Advisor, European Commission, DG EMPL). I am further indebted to Mr Paolo Martino Cossu (DG D, Council Secretariat), Mr Michael Speiser (Director, DG for Internal Policies of the Union European Parliament), Mr Gilbert El Kaïm (Former JHA Counselor, French Permanent Representation), Ms Liliane Volozinskis (Director for Social Affairs and Training Policy, UEAPME), Ms Ewa Klamt (Rapporteur, Former member of the European Parliament), Mr Marco Cilento (Advisor for Mobility and Migration, ETUC), Ms Thérèse de Liedekerke (Deputy Director General, BusinessEurope), and Mr Ziad Khoury (Prefect, French Ministry of the Interior). My deepest thanks also go to Mr Volker Roßocha (Head of Migration Affairs, DGB), the Department ‘Migration, refugees, return policy’ of the German Ministry of Sidonie Foltête-Paris University of Luxembourg iii the Interior, headed by Mr Norbert Seitz, Mr Stephan Pfisterer (Digital change in education, Federal Ministry of Education and Research), Ms Marie-Christine Vaccarezza (Permanent Delegate, MEDEF Brussels), Mr Emmanuel Julien (Deputy Director, Enterprises Department, International Labour Organisation), Mr Omar Benfaïd (CFDT Secretary), and Ms Francine Blanche (CGT Confederal Secretary). Last but not least, I am most grateful for the help of Mr Norbert Friob (entrepreneur and company director), Mr Christophe Zeeb (Special Advisor, Chamber of Commerce), Mr Marc Wagener (Director for Economic Affairs, Chamber of Commerce), Mr Romain Schmit (General Secretary, Fédération des Artisans), Mr Marc Kieffer (General Secretary, Fedil), Mr Pierre Bley (President, Œuvre Nationale de Secours Grande- Duchesse Charlotte), and Mr Eduardo Dias (Department of Immigrants, OGBL). And finally, my family deserves special thanks for their support along the way. My greatest debt is to Jean-Baptiste, my dearest companion, who has always believed in me and has stood by my side in good and bad times throughout the PhD adventure. I dedicate this dissertation to him. Sidonie Foltête-Paris University of Luxembourg iv Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... iii List of tables.................................................................................................................................. viii List of abbreviations .....................................................................................................................

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