Public policymaking and its analysis at National and European Levels

The author describes the specific features of public policy process at the European Union level and its differences related to policy-making at national level. He underlines, among other things that the policy agenda in the European Union is being shaped differently. At the national level the agenda...

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Main Author: Giandomenico Majone
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Collegium of Socio-Economics, SGH Warsaw School of Economics 2015-06-01
Series:Studia z Polityki Publicznej
Subjects:
Online Access:https://econjournals.sgh.waw.pl/KSzPP/article/view/623
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author Giandomenico Majone
author_facet Giandomenico Majone
author_sort Giandomenico Majone
collection DOAJ
description The author describes the specific features of public policy process at the European Union level and its differences related to policy-making at national level. He underlines, among other things that the policy agenda in the European Union is being shaped differently. At the national level the agenda is under greater influence of politicians who are closely interconnected with voters. At the European Union level the technocratic (not directly elected) European Commission has a monopoly of legislative initiative. Furthermore, at the European level feasibility studies - as an element of the pre-decision stage in public policy-making - tend to be ignored. In nation-states we can see such analyses as a result of competition taking place between those who rule and their political opposition. At the European Union level it is not the case. The author points out that these mechanisms would have been beneficial for the EU member states. They would have halted the implementation of decisions which ran the excessive risk. He has also in mind the decision related to the introduction of the monetary union. In his opinion, this decision was made without a proper feasibility analysis (costs and profits). Basically, the decision on a common currency was made on political rather than substantive grounds. A large number of experts were against the idea as they perceived serious risks involved in it. The supporters of greater European integration ignored the fact that the monetary union deprived nation-states of many factors that affected the economic development in a positive way. The point is that they were under influence of "total optimism" expecting only good results of the monetary union. The mechanisms of crisis management, including exit scenario from the monetary union, or methods of supporting those members who need financial aid, have not been even created. Furthermore, the evaluation of the monetary union was not properly carried out as it was based on the assessment of the process (for example, smooth introduction of euro notes and coins or phasing out of the national currencies in 2002) and not of its results.
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spelling doaj.art-f532f1ad40014375b17448fb5a64c9912022-12-21T23:08:26ZengCollegium of Socio-Economics, SGH Warsaw School of EconomicsStudia z Polityki Publicznej2391-63892719-71312015-06-0122(6)10.33119/KSzPP.2015.2.1Public policymaking and its analysis at National and European LevelsGiandomenico Majone0European University Institute, FlorenceThe author describes the specific features of public policy process at the European Union level and its differences related to policy-making at national level. He underlines, among other things that the policy agenda in the European Union is being shaped differently. At the national level the agenda is under greater influence of politicians who are closely interconnected with voters. At the European Union level the technocratic (not directly elected) European Commission has a monopoly of legislative initiative. Furthermore, at the European level feasibility studies - as an element of the pre-decision stage in public policy-making - tend to be ignored. In nation-states we can see such analyses as a result of competition taking place between those who rule and their political opposition. At the European Union level it is not the case. The author points out that these mechanisms would have been beneficial for the EU member states. They would have halted the implementation of decisions which ran the excessive risk. He has also in mind the decision related to the introduction of the monetary union. In his opinion, this decision was made without a proper feasibility analysis (costs and profits). Basically, the decision on a common currency was made on political rather than substantive grounds. A large number of experts were against the idea as they perceived serious risks involved in it. The supporters of greater European integration ignored the fact that the monetary union deprived nation-states of many factors that affected the economic development in a positive way. The point is that they were under influence of "total optimism" expecting only good results of the monetary union. The mechanisms of crisis management, including exit scenario from the monetary union, or methods of supporting those members who need financial aid, have not been even created. Furthermore, the evaluation of the monetary union was not properly carried out as it was based on the assessment of the process (for example, smooth introduction of euro notes and coins or phasing out of the national currencies in 2002) and not of its results.https://econjournals.sgh.waw.pl/KSzPP/article/view/623public policypolicy analysispolicy evaluationmonetary unionEuropean integration
spellingShingle Giandomenico Majone
Public policymaking and its analysis at National and European Levels
Studia z Polityki Publicznej
public policy
policy analysis
policy evaluation
monetary union
European integration
title Public policymaking and its analysis at National and European Levels
title_full Public policymaking and its analysis at National and European Levels
title_fullStr Public policymaking and its analysis at National and European Levels
title_full_unstemmed Public policymaking and its analysis at National and European Levels
title_short Public policymaking and its analysis at National and European Levels
title_sort public policymaking and its analysis at national and european levels
topic public policy
policy analysis
policy evaluation
monetary union
European integration
url https://econjournals.sgh.waw.pl/KSzPP/article/view/623
work_keys_str_mv AT giandomenicomajone publicpolicymakinganditsanalysisatnationalandeuropeanlevels