Policies within the EU multi-level system

This book deals with the description and analysis of EU policies by looking at the structures of the EU and EU policy-making through specific (research) questions. The first question addressed is the following: Is the EU generally characterized by a multi-level system? Or more precisely, by a multi-level system which is structured in the same way across policy fields? If multi-level structures vary between policies, the question is: Does structural variation result in different forms of policy-making? Likewise, this is linked to the question whether common characteristics can be detected between policies with respect to the EU decision-making system. And finally, a further question arises in this context. How is it possible to distinguish the role of societal actors and how has it changed over time? More specifically, the question should be raised about the level of influence civil society organizations, (individual) enterprises and their interest organizations as well as the so-called social partners have in different policy fields. In order to address the questions above from a comparative perspective and across policy fields, the articles in this book on individual policies are similar in their structure. Each contribution starts with an introduction that tackles the problems inherent to the policy field as well as the perception(s) of these problems. In most cases this is linked to the legal basis for political interventions laid down in the treaties as well as to particular institutional characteristics. This is followed by a second section which, by analyzing these respective problems, focuses on instruments. A third section deals with policy-making by distinguishing between agenda-setting, policy formulation and implementation. This leads (in a fourth section) to reflections on changes over time, and finally, a conclusion (as a fifth section) summarizing the main findings in each chapter.