Тernytsky V. Supranational Institutions of the European Union in the Theories of European Integration.

The thesis presents a unique research of supranational institutions of the European Union in all aspects, namely promoting European integration. V. Ternytsky generalizes the theoretical standpoints and conclusions regarding the role of the EU institutions in deepening and widening integration in Europe. The author also identifies features of the theories of integration concerning the EU supranational institutions and their role in facilitating further political integration in Europe. The author finds that federalism helps to identify a form of the united Europe, gives the principles of EU institution building and stresses the importance of European political parties. Neofunctionalism helps to identify the means for achieving the supranational entity and explains how supranational institutions get wider powers. The communicative approach dwells on the importance of political, economic and other types of interactions between member states. The research argues that liberal intergovernmentalism helps to resolve crises in the EU, the theory of multilevel governance helps to study the EU as an entity which promotes cooperation between different levels and new institutionalism shoulders success of integration on the effectiveness of EU institutions. The author identifies distinctive features of modern theoretical approaches to the supranational institutions. First, integration creates new conditions and force the EU member states to alter their European policy. A member state can make the most of the EU institutions to reform its national policy. Second, integration transforms governance in the EU and erodes the distinction between the EU and member states' powers. The research is the first to analyze the principles for creating and functioning of the supranational EU institutions.