Germany, Britain and the European Union: Convergence through Policy Transfer?

How may policy convergence between Germany and the United Kingdom come about? This contribution seeks to offer some analytical explanations. It explores the real-world pressures for convergence for two medium-sized powers which are institutionally embedded within the European Union, whilst economically integrated into the global economy. Globalisation and Europeanisation are reviewed as ways of understanding the potential for convergence. However, detailed attention is directed onto the concept of policy transfer for explaining possible convergence. In particular, the discussion presents an institutionalist account of the opportunities for, and constraints upon, transfer between the two states. It argues that policy transfer facilitated by membership of the EU is likely to be the greatest dynamic behind policy convergence.