This book is based on my PhD manuscript, which I defended in October 2020 at the University of Maastricht. I want to thank the members of the assessment committee, Prof. dr. Bruno de Witte, Prof. dr. Linda Senden, Prof. dr. Mariolina Eliantonio and Prof. dr. Joana Mendes, for providing me with valuable feedback for completing this book. Several people have helped me over the years to write this book. The list is very long. I want to thank them some of them in the following lines.
I owe a debt of immense gratitude to my PhD supervisors, Prof. dr. Ellen Vos and Prof. dr. Anne Pieter van der Mei who have provided me with constructive criticism and advice in the research and writing process. I want to thank Emeritus Prof. dr. Thomas Bruha, and Prof. dr. Markus Ludwigs for allowing me to conduct part of my research at the Europa-Kolleg Hamburg, Max Planck Institute in Hamburg and at the University of Würzburg.
I owe my heartfelt gratitude to the editors of Brill (Nijhoff Studies in European Union Law) namely, Prof. dr. Ramses A. Wessel, and Prof. dr. Fabian Amtenbrink for supporting this book project and the editor Ingeborg van der Laan for her advice and patience in the publication of this book. I wholeheartedly thank my former colleagues at Maastricht University for their friendship, stimulating conversations, and support. I also thank my former colleagues at the Europa-Kolleg Hamburg, Max Planck Institute in Hamburg and at the University of Würzburg for the many joyful moments we have shared during my past research stays. My heartfelt thanks also go to the officials of the European Institutions whom I have interviewed for providing me with deep insights into the practice, which have contributed significantly to the major findings of this book.
I am very grateful to Prof. dr. Luiza Bialasiewicz for her support, kindness, and belief in me since the first days of my employment at the department of European studies at the University of Amsterdam.
Finally, and most importantly, I am forever grateful to my family for their unconditional love, patience, support and backing in accomplishing the publication of this book.
Zamira Xhaferri
Tirana, Amsterdam, Maastricht, August 2022