“Without the Power of Purse or Sword”: The European Arrest Warrant and the Role of the Commission

The ‘area of freedom, security and justice’ in the EU has experienced significant developments during the Tampere programme (1999–2004). This article makes two significant points. First, European integration is possible in areas of ‘high politics’, despite all expectations. Secondly, the Commission can (though not always does) play a significant role in this process — the role of a supranational policy entrepreneur. This empirical twin‐argument reveals shortcomings of intergovernmental understanding of European integration. The article analyses the high‐profile case of the European arrest warrant, its legal and political construction, and demonstrates the significance of the Commission in the political adoption process.