Governance and sustainability : an investigation of the role of policy mediators in the European Union policy process
By: WILLIAMS, Andrew
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ArticlePublisher: UK : Policy Press, jan. 2004Policy & Politics 32, 1, p. 95-110Abstract: This article argues that changing governance modes in the European Union (EU), including territorial multi-level governance and the dispersion of decision-making authority in policy networks, along with the separation of functions at all governance levels, is often characterised by fragmentation in the policy process.This causes difficulties for policy makers in identifying and avoiding unintended ex post policy outcomes, including 'trade-offs' between economic, social and environmental objectives that, in the context of sustainability, are sub-optimal.A case study of the implementation of the EU Ozone Depleting Substances Regulation in the UK tests this hypothesis. It is then suggested that policy mediators have an important role to play in facilitating the effective coordination of policy formulation and implementation in a manner commensurate with broad sustainable development objectives
This article argues that changing governance modes in the European Union (EU), including territorial multi-level governance and the dispersion of decision-making authority in policy networks, along with the separation of functions at all governance levels, is often characterised by fragmentation in the policy process.This causes difficulties for policy makers in identifying and avoiding unintended ex post policy outcomes, including 'trade-offs' between economic, social and environmental objectives that, in the context of sustainability, are sub-optimal.A case study of the implementation of the EU Ozone Depleting Substances Regulation in the UK tests this hypothesis. It is then suggested that policy mediators have an important role to play in facilitating the effective coordination of policy formulation and implementation in a manner commensurate with broad sustainable development objectives
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