ABSTRACT
This chapter expounds on the factors that introduced change in the institutional matrix through amendments in treaty law. It argues that the Single European Act (SEA) served as a critical juncture regarding the development of energy policy in the European Union (EU) as it marked a turning point in the institutional trajectory. More specifically, the introduction of qualified majority voting (QMV) concerning internal market decisions enabled the adoption of essential legal provisions that previously stalled due to the institutional lock-in and the gridlock induced by the unanimity requirement in the Council. The SEA’s reforms strengthened the powers of the Commission, which became more proactive concerning policymaking, and its new role was associated with bringing a new impetus to the Community. In addition, various actors became more embedded in the institutional framework, tying them closer to the European project. From a Historical Institutionalist standpoint, the critical juncture and the alteration in primary law increased the institution’s responsiveness to both minor exogenous and endogenous events, owing to its newly augmented adaptive capacity. In addition, the SEA introduced the potential for incremental change in secondary law through increasing returns and path-dependent processes, as demonstrated in the forthcoming chapters.
