Institutionalizing Homeland Security Cooperation in Europe: Counter-Terrorism and Critical Infrastructure Protection Compared.

The European Union (EU) has become increasingly involved in protecting the security and safety of European citizens. The latest additions to this new policy space are counter terrorism policies and critical infrastructure protection. A central role for the EU in guarding against global terrorism and infrastructural breakdowns may seem evident. In reality, the precise nature of such a role remains unclear. Enthusiastic rhetoric is not always matched by firm action, and the political commitment of national leaders to supranational policies is often vague. One way to gauge the possibility of a "capability and expectations" gap is to compare the institutionalization of these two sectors, to understand the degree to which new structures, rules, and norms are becoming embedded - and thus influencing behaviour. Not only does an institutionalization approach shed light on the nature of European integration in this fairly recent policy space; it also indicates the degree to which supranational policies are actually making Europeans safer. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]