Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to the Analysis of the EU Transformation Process

The aim of the paper is to present the main theoretical and methodological approaches to the analysis of the European Union transformation process according to the theoretical concepts of the European integration. The analysis takes into account institutional and legal aspects (federalism, functionalism, neofunctionalism, and the so-called communication approach). The article analyzes the models and mechanisms of the territorial and spatial organization of the EU. The article refers to the term “transformation,” which is the most suitable to describe the changes taking place in the system of the European Union. The term “transformation” refers to the comprehensive process expressing sequence of actions with the interaction of various actors. A direct influence of the pluralistic nature of the actors on the transformation process is emphasized. Transformation is a comprehensive process, which ensures studying complex systems, especially political ones like the European Union. Hence, the EU member states serve as “political entities”; the legislative framework, shared strategies, and development paradigms comprise those elements and management mechanisms required for the overall functioning of the political system. The research is based on the systematic approach of the EU transformation process which manifests itself in the specifics of the EU supranational institution, the interaction of the EU member states, the implementation of “common policies” of the EU, etc. The key milestones of the modern integration and disintegration EU crises are revealed.