From Policy to Implementation in the European Union: The Challenge of a Multi-level Governance System

It has become apparent that a clear gap exists between European Union (EU) level policymaking and Member State implementation. Previous research has neglected to fully define factors that encourage or prevent implementation processes and instead focused on upstream decision making processes or downstream effects of policy. Simona Milio here proposes a shift in analytical focus towards policy-implementation since this constitutes a crucial common pathway that determines whether a policy actually becomes effective or not. EU implementation deficits appear to be influenced by problems related to the multi-level structure of European policy making. Successful implementation will only occur if relevant policy actors at national and sub-national levels are persuaded to co-operate with EU policy goals. Furthermore, this co-operation is not possible unless all parties manage the complex policy networks and implementation regimes responsible for putting European policies into force. Within this framework, this book answers three important questions: 1 Is the EU multi-level governance system weakening the implementation of policies? 2 Are national and sub-national governments capable of dealing with the challenges imposed by multi-level governance? 3 Which factors account for differences in implementation performance among Member States? In order to answer these questions, Simona Milio's research explores the influence of two variables on implementation processes: Administrative Capacity and Political Stability. Cohesion Policy is chosen as the focus of this study since it has demonstrated a dramatically different implementation pace among EU Member States over the past 20 years. Three EU Member States are chosen to test the hypothesis. Italy appears to be a pertinent example, given its constant struggle to conform to EU directives and to implement Cohesion Policy. Spain is chosen since, in contrast to the Italian scenario, it represents the best performing Member State in terms of implementation. Finally Poland is studied, as a case where a shift from centralization towards decentralization has occurred in order to implement Cohesion Policy and integrate the multi-level governance system.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Part I: Member States struggle to implement EU policies: Political and administrative factors Chapter 1: Multi-level governance: the role of national and sub-national actors - The gap between policy making and policy implementation - What determines the gap and how may it be reduced - The case of cohesion policy in EU-27 - The Italian experience: contrasting regional performances Chapter 2: Administrative capacity and political stability: a framework of analysis - Four key components of administrative capacity: management, programming, monitoring, evaluation.  - Defining political stability: presidential, cabinet members and executive changes; Fragmentation of the political spectrum. - Does administrative capacity determine implementation performance? - How does political stability shape administrative capacity? Part II: The Italian case: national failure versus regional success. Has multi-level governance improved or hindered implementation performance? Chapter 3: The administrative and political system in Italian regions  - The impact of multi-level governance: administrative and political implications  - Is the Italian government still a gatekeeper?  - Constrains to the implementation of cohesion policy: is the regional level efficient? - Weak national performance and some strong regional results Chapter 4: Measuring administrative capacity in Sicily and Basilicata - The degree of management: clarity of roles among actors and coordination of actives  - Programming performance: design and strategy coherence - Creation of a regional monitoring system: data availability and accountability - Diffusion of the evaluation culture: fear of “inspection” and closure to external expertise Chapter 5: Explaining administrative capacity variation. Interaction between political factors and administrative key components  - A history of government instability in Italy: national and regional implications - Sicily: 14 governments in 20 years (1986-2006)  - Basilicata: a government per legislature  - Does political stability promote administrative capacity performance? Part III: The effect of multi-level governance in both old and new Member States Chapter 6: Spain: successfully coping with Europe  - Administrative and political decentralization - Multi-level governance and a new form of cooperation - The case of Galicia: thriving implementation performance  - The case of Catalonia: when regions aspire to become nations Chapter 7: Poland: centralization, decentralization and re-centralization - Connecting to the EU multilevel governance system: “building bridges”, “building gates” and 'defining actors'  - Administrative reform: creating EU standards - Political dialogue: opening to the top and to the bottom  - The progress of cohesion policy implementation Chapter 8: Conclusions: Is multi-level governance widening the implementation gap?  - What determines the implementation gap: Administrative and political variables - Pros and cons of the multi-level governance implementation system - Can the implementation gap be reduced? - What about other EU policies?

About the Author :
Simona Milio is Associate Director of the Social and Cohesion Policy Unit at the LSE. She holds a PhD in European Studies from the LSE and was the recipient of the first prize for the best doctoral thesis in the Committee of the Regions 2009 Thesis Competition, awarded by the European Parliament.

Review :
'This volume draws on rich empirical evidence to highlight the importance of administrative capacity and practice in implementing the cohesion policy of the European Union across member countries with very different local characteristics. Both policy-makers and academics have much to learn from this probing study.' Professor Helen Wallace, Centennial Professor, European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) 'This book makes a vital contribution to a growing literature on cohesion policy, multi-level governance and implementation, offering detailed close-ups of how regional authorities react to and cope with the massive flow of funds.' Paul Stephenson, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Maastricht University.