A new concept of deepening European integration? The European Research Area and the emerging role of policy coordination in a multi-level governance system

Kaiser, Robert and Prange, Heiko (2002) A new concept of deepening European integration? The European Research Area and the emerging role of policy coordination in a multi-level governance system. European Integration Online Papers (EIoP), 6 (18).

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Abstract

This paper examines the boundaries and conditions for the application of the open method of coordination (OMC) in a multi-level governance system. We argue that the OMC is likely to constitute a promising concept of deepening integration only in kinds of policies which, first, are characterized by a high degree of decision-making powers and a significant amount of financial resources at different territorial levels, considerable differences in the structures of the member states’ societal subsystems, as well as considerable differences in the performance of these subsystems across member states; and in which, second, the Community is engaged in the implementation and management of policy measures even at the sub-national level. However, we challenge the assumption that the OMC can be interpreted as a first step towards a genuine Community dimension. We explore our argument with respect the European Research Area. We find that the OMC is likely to be successful if, first of all, regional actors are involved in the decision-making process according to their constitutional role and their institutional capacities, if the Council is accepted as the appropriate arena for the coordination of national policies, and parliamentary control on measures that coordinate national policies is provided by national or regional parliaments, and if the OMC pays attention to the nature of the legislative powers at the European level.

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