Single Voice or Cacophony?

The growing importance of energy needs and concerns§is on the agenda of domestic and foreign policy§makers alike in today s energy dependent world. The§European Union, representing one of the largest§economies and energy consumers in the world, has come§to a crossroads in defining its energy policy, in§light of the current and future energy dependence of§its member states.§This thesis captures and conceptualizes the§problematic of formulating a coherent energy policy§on the EU institutions level, as viewed from the§member states perspectives. It will seek to explore§the interplay between various factors on multiple§levels, which either drive the integration in energy§policy or bring it closer to a deadlock. This can be§done by making use of EU integration theories that§have successfully examined the integration process§across time and space in various policy areas The growing importance of energy needs and concerns§is on the agenda of domestic and foreign policy§makers alike in today s energy dependent world. The§European Union, representing one of the largest§economies and energy consumers in the world, has come§to a crossroads in defining its energy policy, in§light of the current and future energy dependence of§its member states.§This thesis captures and conceptualizes the§problematic of formulating a coherent energy policy§on the EU institutions level, as viewed from the§member states perspectives. It will seek to explore§the interplay between various factors on multiple§levels, which either drive the integration in energy§policy or bring it closer to a deadlock. This can be§done by making use of EU integration theories that§have successfully examined the integration process§across time and space in various policy areas