Ideas, power and change: explaining EU–Russia energy relations

ABSTRACTThis article explores the European Union's (EU) energy relations with Russia through new institutionalist concepts that understand ideas to be powerful within policymaking processes, in conferring credibility on certain governance norms as well as in contesting existing institutions. Explanations of the deterioration in EU–Russia energy relations have emphasized divergence in perspectives on energy, and how it should be governed, between these actors. Here it is argued that the proliferation of different ideas about energy within EU institutions has significant implications for this relationship. The paper analyses EU energy policy as a whole, including climate policy, and outlines what ideas have been influential over policymaking processes and with what consequences. Internal ideological differences challenge the dominance and credibility of market liberal ideas and policies, the EU's ability to speak with one voice in energy and attest to an increasingly complex and contradictory EU energy policy.KEY WORDS: Climate changeenergy policyenergy securityEU–Russia relationsideaspower ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis research acknowledges the support of the FP7 large scale integrated research project GR:EEN - Global Re-ordering: Evolution through European Networks, European Commission Project Number: 266809. I would like to thank Matthew Watson and Nina Græger for their detailed and insightful comments on early drafts and GR:EEN work package 5 members for their support, feedback and ideas, as well as the JEPP referees.Additional informationBiographical note:Caroline Kuzemko is a research fellow in the Energy Policy Group of the University of Exeter and a visiting fellow in the Centre for the Study of Globalization and Regionalization at the University of Warwick.