This paper is an attempt to give a broad and systematic outline to environmental policy in the
European Union (EU) without discussing explicit or specific problems. Environment is just
one policy field among various others within the EU legislation, and the EU is itself not an
isolated and closed legislative body, but rather to view it as a sophisticated and highly
complex framework at a supranational level into a broader setting of international
organisations and institutions on the one hand and national influences on the other hand. To
catch its formal complexity it is important to look to its origins. The first steps toward EU
integration related to economic issues with the creation of the European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC), and the Treaties establishing the European Economic Community (EEC)
and finally the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) in 1957. These three
together came to be referred to as the European Community (EC). The creation of the single
European market during the 1970s and the early 1980s symbolises the beginning of the EU
integration process. The term EU was not used before 1992 where it was introduced by the
Maastricht Treaty on the European Union (TEU) which marks a substantial shift from
negative to positive integration of the Member States into the EU framework.1 I will argue
during the analysis that the creation of an economic community as the first step of integration
had strong and significant long-standing effects to the field of environmental policy in the EU.
According to Weale, I will show that “issue linkage and spillover effects have been
characteristic to the development of EU environmental policy” (Weale et al. 2005: 53).
Furthermore, I will point out that this issue dynamic can be explained by the institutional
setting of the EU which provides the ground for multi-level governance which is based on a
high complex system of vertical and horizontal linkages, secondly the issue itself because
environmental issues call for horizontal integration of policy areas and thirdly because of the
interdependence of economic and environmental policy paradigm within the EU to justify
environmental policy making.
[...]
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Actors
1.1 The EU key players
1.1.1 The Commission
1.1.2 The Council of the European Union (CoM)
1.1.3 The European Parliament (EP)
1.1.4 The European Court of Justice (ECJ)
1.1.5 Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
1.2 International influence
1.3 Member States Influence
1.4 Multi-level Governance
2. Environmental policy
2.1 Environmental policy and other policy fields
2.2 Environmental policy within the institutional framework
2.3 Horizontal integration
3. Environmental policy making
3.1 Policy paradigm
3.2 Instruments
3.3 Implementation
Conclusion
Objectives & Core Themes
This academic paper provides a systematic outline of environmental policy in the European Union, examining how the EU's complex multi-level governance structure and economic integration processes shape its environmental agenda and implementation efficacy.
- The role of key EU institutions and actors in environmental policy formulation.
- The systemic impact of multi-level governance and international influences.
- The relationship between economic integration (Single Market) and environmental policy development.
- The role of policy paradigms and specific legislative instruments in environmental protection.
- Analysis of implementation deficits and the institutional barriers to effective environmental policy-making.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 The EU key players
From the beginning of environmental legislation in 1972 and till the Treaty of the European Union (TEU), the Commission and the Member States governments in the Council of Ministers (CoM) were the primary movers in the environmental policy arena. From 1992 on the European Parliament (EP) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have increased in importance (see Sbragia 2000: 298-304). The European Court of Justice (ECJ) plays a key strategic role in deciding which environmental measures are permissible in the context of a single internal market and which actors have the possibilities to challenge environmental decisions before the ECJ itself (see Weale et al. 2005: 102-104).
The Commission is the executive body of the EU. Now it consists of 27 members - one Commissioner from each Member State of the EU. The European Commission has four main tasks: first, to propose legislation to the Parliament and the Council; secondly, to manage and implement EU policies and the budget; thirdly to enforce European law (in collaboration with the Court of Justice); and finally to represent the European Union on the international stage. This is done, for example, by negotiating agreements between the EU and the UNO. Commissioners are charged to represent the interests of the EU, not the Member State, from which they are appointed. The Commission has, in sum, two formal powers: the right to initiate legislation and to supervise the implementation process in the Member States of passed legislation. The Commission comprises 24 departments, known as directorate-generals (DGs). Each DG is responsible for a particular policy area. This is headed by one of the commissioners who function as a Director-General. The overall coordination is provided by the Secretariat-General. It is DG XI which is responsible for the drafting of environmental legislation and the implementation of its policy. DG XI is concerned with environmental quality, nuclear safety, civil protection and natural resources. Commission proposals define the ground on which the CoM and the EP can negotiate.
Summary of Chapters
1. Actors: Examines the institutional framework of the EU through the lens of multi-level governance, identifying key players like the Commission, Council, Parliament, and ECJ, alongside the role of interest groups.
2. Environmental policy: Analyzes the complex interaction between environmental policy and other sectors, focusing on how economic imperatives and institutional settings influence horizontal integration.
3. Environmental policy making: Evaluates the policy paradigms and instruments used by the EU, highlighting the challenges of effective implementation and the persistent implementation deficit in the environmental sector.
Keywords
European Union, Environmental Policy, Multi-level Governance, European Commission, Council of Ministers, European Parliament, Ecological Modernisation, Horizontal Integration, Policy Instruments, Implementation Deficit, Single Market, Sustainable Development, Institutionalism, Spillover Effects, Environmental Legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
The paper provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of environmental policy-making in the European Union, specifically analyzing the institutional, political, and economic factors that shape it.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The central themes include the influence of EU institutions, the role of international dynamics, the challenge of horizontal policy integration, and the effectiveness of legislative instruments.
What is the central research question?
The paper investigates how the EU's institutional framework and its origins in economic integration impact the development and practical implementation of environmental protection measures.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The analysis utilizes institutionalism and the theory of multi-level governance to evaluate the EU's decision-making system and the distribution of power between stakeholders.
What does the main body address?
The main body is divided into three parts: the sphere of actors, the issue of environmental policy itself, and the importance of underlying policy paradigms and instruments.
What are the characterizing keywords?
Key terms include multi-level governance, policy paradigms, horizontal integration, implementation deficit, and economic spillover effects.
Why is the Commission considered 'promiscuous' in this text?
The author describes the Commission as 'promiscuous' due to its fragmented structure, dependency on the Council for decision approval, and its reliance on external information from NGOs and experts to initiate legislation.
How do 'green' states influence EU policy?
So-called 'green states' (such as Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands) act as the 'motor' of environmental policy, pushing for more stringent standards to protect their domestic competitiveness and regulatory advantages.
What is the 'Monnet method' mentioned in the context of integration?
The Monnet method, or 'integration by stealth', refers to achieving greater political cooperation and integration through a focus on technical matters rather than confronting large-scale constitutional questions directly.
- Quote paper
- Silke Lachnit (Author), 2008, Greening the EU - Actors, strategies and instruments, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/116091
