Energy Policy in the Czech Republic: The EU as a Framing Actor?

Abstract

Since the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, scholars have explored whether it will lead to a closer cooperation between the Member States and the EU institutions in the field of energy policy. However, little attention has been paid to the concept of actorness, namely to whether the EU is able to frame the discourse on energy policy in the Member States. This study seeks to examine whether the EU can be perceived as a framing actor in the Czech Republic and whether its framing power differs across various topics and genres of the political discourse. Methodologically, the article draws on the Discourse-Historical Approach. As the findings suggest, the framing does not differ significantly across topics but rather depending on the respective genre. Also, the framing occurs both explicitly and implicitly as well as independently of whether the political parties agree or disagree with the European position.