Amidst the proliferation of research and scholarly resources on institutional Europe, this Dictionary of European Actors showcases an approach which is innovative in two important areas.

First, we have attached a central importance to actors, understood broadly as professionals and social groups engaged in European institutions. All too often neglected in studies on Europe, which tend to focus on institutions and “great men”, the actors considered here embody the concrete reality of the European project. We therefore considered it important to fill this gap by offering an unprecedented synthesis of actor-centred research on Europe. In our view, to understand the evolution and the workings of the European political and legal systems, it is necessary to focus attention on those who participate in the institutions, make them work on a daily basis through their professional or associative activities, and accordingly are essential in understanding change. Instead of concentrating on the institutions defined by the Treaties (European Commission, Parliament, Council, Court…) and their formal rules, we put the spotlight on those who make the rules, implement them and give them consistency: the Commissioners, civil servants, ministers, parliamentarians, parliamentary assistants, lobbyists, judges, Registry staff in the Courts… The actors studied in this dictionary are not primarily the heroes and leading figures of the official narrative of European integration; they are also and more importantly those in the name of whom Europe is built (citizens, voters, workers, employers, litigants….) and whose interactions exert forces changing, preventing or furthering the European project. This European political sociology approach has developed considerably in France over the past fifteen years, following landmark publications by researchers of the Centre for European Political Sociology (GSPE) of the Institute of Political Sciences of Strasbourg.1 Within the discipline of European studies, this approach is clearly identified and its contribution has been recognised: research on the “field of Eurocracy”,2 the “field of power”3 or on more specific sectors like internal security4 or European justice5 shed light on important, yet rarely studied forms of functioning and construction of Europe by placing the citizens and societies6 in which the European project is rooted at the centre of their analyses.

Secondly, this Dictionary makes the distinctive choice of combining the study of the European Union (EU) and of the Europe of Human Rights. The institutional approach has contributed to separating the two European projects, but history shows that they have common roots and that groups of actors have been invested in both. As the accession of the EU to the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) nears, it appears particularly necessary to investigate the links between these two projects and systems, and more specifically to consider the relations between the two Courts. Studying both sets of actors jointly requires examining the role of the institutional environment on these professional groups and identifying elements of convergence and specificities in the sociological backgrounds and dynamics of the actors invested in the production, diffusion or contestation of the European projects. The ambition of this Dictionary is to present the place and role of a wide array of actors within the greater Europe, including both the 28 EU Member States and the 47 Council of Europe member states, by adopting a critical multidisciplinary, comparative and historical approach. Depending on the entry, comparison emphasises the differences and likenesses between the two European systems or between the actors themselves.

While the vast majority of entries in this Dictionary address various European actors, a few examine transversal concepts related to these actors, covering overarching trends of European integration (Agencification, Managerialisation, Regionalisation, for example), tools used by the actors (Statistical Description, Evaluation) or essential regulatory principles (Subsidiarity, Gender Equality) and the processes specifically affecting the actors at the European level (Socialisation, Europeanisation). In order to achieve the goal of a multidisciplinary perspective, several entries were jointly written by authors representing more than one discipline,7 in order to overcome the disciplinary and thematic (over-) specialisation in European studies. Conversely, in rare cases, the type of actors or the issue required that entries were centred either on the EU or the Council of Europe (CoE) due to the specificities of the two European integration processes.

Also published in French in 2014, this Dictionary is by no means comprehensive and there are inevitably a few blind spots. However, 118 entries provide as complete an overview as can be found in one source on the actors who make, unmake or remake Europe. Some readers may regret the absence of certain organisations or groups of actors; the most important gaps will be filled by the subsequent editions. Still, this first edition, used together with other dictionaries, should give the reader a better sense of Europe, of its diversity, its complexity and its evolutions. Without oversimplifying, an effort has been made to make a wide range of scholarship accessible to students, researchers, academics, practitioners and actors of Europe. It is our hope that anyone interested in Europe will find food for thought and useful information in these pages.

In putting together this volume, great lengths were taken to reflect the diversity of opinions and the complexity of the phenomena studied; controversies and unresolved questions are left to the reader’s appreciation. Each entry includes a definition, an overview of the context and an analysis of the most fundamental or current developments, according to each author’s interpretation; the text is followed by references to key bibliographic sources, textual sources and websites for those seeking further documentation. Entries are cross-referenced by using lists of related entries, concepts (index rerum) and names. In this sense, this Dictionary, like others before it and those that will undoubtedly follow, was conceived as a working tool and a reference tool on contemporary questions addressed in a broad cross-disciplinary social science perspective.

This book is also a showcase of research in European political sociology conducted at the University of Strasbourg within the framework of the Strasbourg School of European Studies,8 led by the Societies, Actors and Government in Europe research centre (SAGE), which replaced the Centre for European Political Sociology in early 2013.9 It is also the fruit of longstanding or newer collaborations that have been developed over the past fifteen years in France and beyond; in this sense, this Dictionary confirms and reinforces the international recognition of this distinctive French approach to European studies.10 It is also intended as a springboard for further collaborations and a fruitful interdisciplinary dialogue.

Our warmest thanks go to the 85 contributors to this Dictionary for their time and commitment. We also thank those who were unfortunately unable to participate but encouraged us during the making of the book. We are furthermore deeply grateful to all our collaborators, most particularly Léa Maulet, a doctoral researcher at the University of Strasbourg, who oversaw the editorial co-ordination of the book, Jean-Yves Bart, who painstakingly translated 103 entries, Estelle Czerny, a research engineer in the SAGE laboratory, for her work on the manuscript, and Amanda Height, who worked on the indexes during her spring 2014 internship in Strasbourg. Lastly, the publication of this Dictionary would not have been possible without the financial support of the Institut Universitaire de France to Hélène Michel, of the Excellence Initiative of the University of Strasbourg, funded by the French government’s future investments programme, and of the SAGE laboratory.

We hope that this Dictionary of European Actors will contribute to the discussions between specialists of the European political and legal systems and open new avenues of research on the ever evolving and increasingly contentious process of European integration. We wish you a stimulating read.

24 September 2014

Elisabeth LAMBERT ABDELGAWAD
CNRS Research Director in Law
(SAGE, CNRS-University of Strasbourg)

Hélène MICHEL
Professor of Political Science,
Institute of Political Studies
(SAGE, CNRS-University of Strasbourg)

ALDRIN, Philippe

Professor of Political Science, CHERPA (EA 4261), Sciences Po Aix

ALFREDSSON, Gudmundur

Professor of Law, University of Akureyri

ANDREONE, Fabrice*

Doctoral researcher, Administrateur principal, Policy officer, European Commission, DG RTD

BALLATORE, Magali

FNRS Researcher, GIRSEF, University of Louvain

BARBIER-GAUCHARD, Amélie

Senior lecturer in Economics, BETA (UMR 7522), University of Strasbourg

BARDELEBEN VON, Eleonore*

Administrative Judge (premier conseiller de Tribunal administratif et de Cour administrative d’appel), Legal Secretary at the General Court

BEAUVALLET, Willy

Senior lecturer in Political Science, University Lumière of Lyon, researcher in the laboratory Triangle (CNRS UMR 5206)

BORELLI, Silvia

Researcher in Labour Law at the University of Ferrara

BORJA, Simon

Doctoral researcher in Political Science

BORONSKA-HRYNIEWIECKA, Karolina

Assistant professor of Political Science, Institute of Political Science, Université de Wrocław

BOUILLAUD, Christophe

Professor of Political Science, PACTE (UMR 5094), University of Grenoble

BURGORGUE-LARSEN, Laurence

Professor of Public Law, University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

CALLIGARO, Oriane

Lecturer in European studies, Department of History, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maastricht University

CANTENS, Thomas*

Technical officer at the World Customs Organization, anthropologist and member of the Centre Norbert Elias (UMR8562 EHESS/CNRS)

CARLIER, Jean-Yves

Professor of Law at the universities of Louvain and Liège, lawyer

CASELLA-COLOMBEAU, Sara

Doctor of Political Science, Post-Doc researcher, International Centre for Comparative Sociology, University of Montréal

CHATZISTAVROU, Filippa

Research fellow, Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy and external collaborator, University of Athens

CHEYNIS, Eric

Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Université de Haute Alsace, SAGE (UMR 7363)

CICCHELLI, Vincenzo

Senior Lecturer in Sociology, GEMASS, University Paris Descartes

CIRSTOCEA, Ioana

CNRS researcher, SAGE (UMR 7363)

CLIQUENNOIS, Gaëtan

CNRS researcher, SAGE (UMR 7363)

COHEN, Antonin

Professor of Political Science, CRAPE (UMR 6051), University of Rennes 1

COURTY, Guillaume

Professor of Political Science, CERAPS – Lille 2

DAKOWSKA, Dorota

Senior Lecturer in Political Science, SAGE (UMR 7363), University of Strasbourg

DALOZ, Jean-Pascal

CNRS Research Director, SAGE (UMR 7363)

DE LASSALLE, Marine

Senior Lecturer in Political Science, SAGE (UMR 7363), Sciences Po Strasbourg

DESMOULIN, Gil

Senior Lecturer in Public Law, Sciences Po Rennes, CIAPHS, Rennes

DOURNEAU-JOSETTE, Pascal*

Head of Division at the European Court of Human Rights Registry, Associate professor at the University of Strasbourg

DUDOUET, François-Xavier

CNRS Researcher, IRISSO – University of Paris Dauphine

DUFRESNE, Anne

FRS-FNRS Researcher, CRIDES, Université Catholique de Louvain

EGEBERG, Morten

Professor of Administration and Public Policy, Department of Political Science, ARENA – Centre for European Studies, University of Oslo

EL QADIM, Nora

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Namur, Tocqueville Chair

EPSTEIN, Anne

Associate Researcher, SAGE (UMR 7363), University of Strasbourg

FAVREAU, Bertrand

Founding president of the European Lawyers Union (UAE)

FERTIKH, Karim

Post-Doc researcher, PRAG teacher, SAGE (UMR 7363), Sciences Po Strasbourg

FORET, François

Professor of Political Science, Université Libre de Bruxelles

GASPARINI, William

Professor of Sport Sciences/Sociology, E3S (EA 1342) and USIAS, University of Strasbourg

GEORGAKAKIS, Didier

Professor of Political Science, University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, European Centre for Sociology and Political Science (Paris 1, EHESS, CNRS)

GILBERT, Jérémie

Reader, University of East London

HADJIISKY, Magdalena

Senior Lecturer in Political Science, University of Strasbourg, SAGE (UMR7363)

HAMMAN, Philippe

Professor of Sociology, SAGE (UMR 7363), University of Strasbourg

HARMSEN, Robert

Professor of Political Science, University of Luxembourg

HEURTIN, Jean-Philippe

Professor of Political Science, SAGE (UMR 7363), University of Strasbourg

HRABANSKI, Marie

Researcher in Sociology, ARTDEV (UMR 5281), CIRAD

HUBÉ, Nicolas

Senior Lecturer in Political Science, CESSP (UMR 8209)/CMB (USR 3130), University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

JEAN, Jean-Paul

President of the Chamber at the French Court of Cassation, Associate Professor at the University of Poitiers

JEANPIERRE, Laurent

Professor of Political Science, Labtop-CRESPPA (CNRS UMR 7217), University of Paris 8-Saint-Denis

JOFFRE, Patrick*

Technical officer at the World Customs Organization

JULIEN-LAFERRIÈRE, François

Professor Emeritus of Public Law

KAUPPI, Niilo

CNRS Research Director, ECPR Vice-President

LAMBERT ABDELGAWAD, Elisabeth

CNRS Research Director, SAGE (UMR 7363)

LAVALLÉE, Chantal

Invited researcher, European Union Centre of Excellence, University of Montreal

Le BRIS, Catherine

CNRS Researcher, UMR de droit comparé de Paris, University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

LEACH, Philip

Professor of Human Rights Law, Middlesex University

LEBARON, Frederic

Professor of Sociology, Laboratoire Printemps (UMR 8085), University of Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines

LEBOEUF, Luc

Doctoral researcher in Law, Université catholique de Louvain

LEMERCIER, Claire

CNRS Research Professor, CSO (UMR 7116) Sciences Po

LEMOINE, Benjamin

CNRS Researcher, IRISSO (UMR 7170), University Paris Dauphine

LOZAC’H, Valérie

Senior Lecturer in Political Science, SAGE (UMR 7363), University of Strasbourg

MANGENOT, Michel

Professor of Political Science, University of Lorraine, Nancy, IRENEE

MARTIN, Annie

CNRS Researcher, SAGE (UMR 7363)

MICHEL, Hélène

Professor of Political Science, University of Strasbourg, Institut Universitaire de France, Director of SAGE (UMR 7363)

MICHON, Sébastien

CNRS Researcher, SAGE (UMR 7363)

NEVILLE, Mark*

Head of the Private Office of the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

NIVARD, Carole

Senior Lecturer in Public Law, CUREJ EA4703, University of Rouen

OLLION, Etienne

CNRS Researcher, SAGE (UMR 7363)

PARIS, Sidonie

Doctoral researcher in Political Science, University of Luxembourg

PINGEL, Isabelle

Professor of Law, IREDIES (EA 4536), Sorbonne Law School, University of Paris 1

RAMADIER, Thierry

CNRS Research Director in Psychology, SAGE (UMR 7363)

RENOU, Gildas

Post-Doc researcher, SAGE (UMR 7363), University of Strasbourg

REUNGOAT, Emmanuelle

Senior Lecturer in Political Science, University of Montpellier I

ROBERT Cécile

Senior Lecturer in Political Science, Triangle (UMR 5206), Sciences Po Lyon

RODIER, Claire

Lawyer with GISTI (Groupe d’information et de soutien des immigré.e.s), Vice-President of Migreurop

ROGINSKY, Sandrine

Professor of Communication, LASCO, Université catholique de Louvain

ROWELL, Jay

CNRS Research Director, SAGE (UMR 7363), University of Strasbourg

SANSOTTA, Sergio*

Registrar of the Administrative Tribunal of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg

SURREL, Hélène

Professor of Public Law, Sciences Po Lyon, IDEDH EA 3976

THIBAULT, Adrien

Doctoral researcher in Political Science, SAGE (UMR 7363), University of Strasbourg

TRONDAL, Jarle

Professor of Political Science, University of Agder, ARENA – Centre for European Studies, University of Oslo, University of Copenhagen

UTARD, Jean-Michel

Professor Emeritus in Information and Communication Science, SAGE (UMR 6373), University of Strasbourg

VASSALOS, Georgios

Doctoral researcher in Political Science, SAGE (UMR 7363), University of Strasbourg

VAUCHEZ, Antoine

CNRS Research Director

VION, Antoine

Senior Lecturer, LEST, Université de la Méditerranée

WAGNER, Anne-Catherine

Professor of Sociology, UMR 8209 – CESSP, University of Paris 1

WEBER, Anne*

Adviser, Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe

WEBER, Louis

Editorial coordinator for the journal Savoir/Agir

* The points of view expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of the institution to which he/she belongs.