Europe and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development : The Future of European Integration

Abstract: This thesis is a theory consuming case study that aims to examine how the Council of the European Union voted in matters regarding the environment between 2015 and 2019 in order to begin the implementation of the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goal number 13. Moreover, the thesis further examines the impact of the Council’s voting results on the European integration process by using rational choice institutionalism and three explanatory factors; ideology, institutional factors and economical position in the EU. The findings of the thesis show that the member states in the EU voted diversely and that only four member states constantly voted yes throughout 2015 to 2019. Despite the diversity in voting, the factors and the theory utilised here helped explain why it is unlikely that disintegration would occur. As a result, it is clear that the European integration process will continue even though the voting results of the Council could impact further integration or even disintegration due to the member states’ various preferences. The future of European integration thus continues to be uncertain.