The Temelín nuclear power plant and the European Union in Austrian–Czech relations

The Czech Republic's Temelín nuclear power plant provoked the worst relations between it and Austria. This article identifies novel, unexpected roles that the EU played in that dispute: mediator, framework-setting; absenteeism; foil; and belated enforcer. The EU ultimately altered the nature of the dispute and can be seen to have inadvertently defended a non-member state's interests against those of an existing member.