The European Union Centre of Excellence and Jean Monnet Chair at York will be hosting conference around the theme “Sixty Years of European Governance” at York University, Toronto, Canada on September 13 and 14, 2012. Conference organizers will accept proposals for original papers of roughly 8000 words in length, to be revised for publication following the conference, until June 26, 2012.

Shared governance and policymaking have long played central roles in European integration. Some policy areas have had a strong European component since the 1950s but the importance of European coordination and responsibility increased substantially in the 1980s and 1990s with the single market project. Today it is difficult to find a policy sector in which EU institutions do not share competence with member states or at least help coordinate decisions. Many concepts and approaches have been advanced to describe and explain this evolution. As the role of the state generally has become more multifaceted, the governance and policymaking landscape in Europe has become ever more complex. EU institutions often have policy formulation or coordination roles but generally lack all but the most basic resources to ensure implementation. European publics, often ignorant or skeptical of EU governance, generally continue to hold national governments accountable even as these governments blame “Brussels” for unpopular policies. Responsibility without accountability leads to a democracy deficit or to a compromise of national approaches without a European solution. Participants in this conference will reflect on sixty years of European governance, from the formation of the coal and steel community in the 1950s to today’s complex policymaking world. Confirmed participants include Michelle Cini, Neill Nugent, Sharon Pardo, and Ingeborg Tömmel.

How to submit paper proposals
The Jean Monnet Chair and EU Centre of Excellence at York University invite proposals for original papers of roughly 8000 words in length, to be revised for publication following the conference. Invited participants will act as discussants for other papers and expenses will be reimbursed for those who submit complete papers by September 6.

Please send a 400-600 word abstract and short bio no later than June 26 to professor Willem Maas at maas@yorku.ca noting “Sixty Years of European Governance” in the email subject line.