"Regulatory Effects of Participatory Environmental Networks; The case of the 'Seville Process'"

Koutalakis, Charalampos. (2005) "Regulatory Effects of Participatory Environmental Networks; The case of the 'Seville Process'". In: UNSPECIFIED, Austin, Texas. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

[From the Introduction]. The analysis of the so-called ‘Seville process’ seeks to assess the regulatory effects of such participatory structures of policy making. The analysis focuses on two fundamental institutional properties of regulatory networks that are considered by the literature as catalysts for the enhancement of effectiveness and efficiency in regulatory policy making. First, we account for the actor dimension, namely the regulatory effects of inclusive networks of all affected interests (firms, private interest groups and non-governmental organizations, national and European agencies and national civil servants). Is a participatory structure more effective than the classical legislative process in reducing potential conflicts at the stage of policy implementation? Is there any trade off between efficiency and legitimacy? Second, we assess the effects of non-hierarchical steering modes prevailing in the decision making process between network participants. Much of our current understanding of the dynamics of transnational regulatory policy making is based on theories of regulatory competition and notions of races to the top or bottom of regulatory spectrums in different policy areas (Radaelli, 2004; Holzinger and Knill 2004). Regulatory competition between environmentally advanced EU member states that actively seek to upload their regulatory models at the EU and laggards that rarely succeed to influence EU policy developments amplifies existing disparities between member states. In light of the enormous economic, political and administrative disparities between new and old EU member states we raise the question as to which extent regulatory networks facilitate a smoother adoption of and adaptation to costly EU environmental legislation.

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