EUROPAL lunch seminar with Bernard Steunenberg: ‘Between coordination and differentiation: The implementation of EU policy’

Research reveals interesting differences in how national or subnational actors try to implement EU policy. Interestingly, most studies follow a ‘top-down’ perspective emphasizing the importance of policy coordination and the need for compliance. ‘Bottom-up’ analyses, however, which focus on the behavior of implementing authorities and actors, show how policy is used in order to resolve problems. This often requires some leeway and a need for policy differentiation. Why does this happen, and why is variation in implementation often regarded as a problem? Analyzing the interplay of coordination and differentiation, the paper provides an analytical framework to analyze both processes. This framework is based on the implementation of EU clean air policy, which is used as an example. It shows how ambition levels formulated in lawmaking may feed into the outcomes that may be realized in implementation. It also emphasizes that differences in capacities and views may determine how national and subnational implementers will realize specific outcomes and select different solutions. This is not a failure but a strength of the European multi-level system.

About the speaker

Prof. dr. Bernard Steunenberg (Leiden University) conducts research on European politics and policymaking, including the relationship between the Union and its Member States on the transposition and implementation of European policy. In his work, he uses perspectives from game theory, deliberative theory, public choice and analytical politics.

Aanmelding: https://www.ru.nl/nsm/imr/our-research/hot-spots/europeanization-policy-law-europal/vm/europal-lunch-seminar-between-coordination/
Meer informatie: https://www.ru.nl/rechten/actueel/agenda/@1248165/europal-lunch-seminar-with-bernard-steunenberg/