European Union Public Policy

                                       Professor John Wilton

                                             Lecture 2

        Agenda-Setting 1: Role and purpose, EU political process, and the nature of agendas

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

1. The place of agenda-setting in the policy process – its role and purpose

2. Agenda-setting as a political process – its distinctive aspect in the EU policy process

3. The nature of agendas – the social construction of policy issues

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

  1. The place of agenda-setting in the      policy process

          - a key difference between EU and             individual states

          - the link between agenda-setting and        the EU integration process

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

2. Agenda-setting as a political process

          a) the identification, determination                        and clarification of the issue

                   - what needs to be addressed                                  and what policy
formulated?

          b) the social and political construction                   of the issue

                   - how the issue will be processed     

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

3. The nature of agendas

          - differing interpretations of issues,                    agendas and policies

          - the danger of different forms of policy           outcomes

          - negative agenda-setting

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

3. The nature of agendas

        - problems of alternative issue                  interpretation and prioritisation        
          with 25 Member states

        - accepted common policy agenda           areas

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

3. The nature of agendas

          - The pre-agenda process

                   - contending ideas

                   - advocacy

                   - learning, and knowledge of -                           information

                   - political debate

                   - political difference and/or agreement

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

3. The nature of agendas

        - the first stage of agenda-setting –                 just what is the issue really?

        - additional agenda ‘spillover’

        - avoiding conflict between                            national interests and EU        
                interests in agenda-setting

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

Summary:

•The place of agenda-setting in the policy         process

•No policy outcomes can be reached without firstly the issue being placed on the EU policy agenda

•Issues reach the policy agenda usually as a result of substantial political mobilisation

•Particular to EU is link between agenda-setting and integration process

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

Summary:

•Agenda-setting as a political process     

•Identification, clarification, definition of an issue is open to political self-interest

•Definition of issue will determine which institution and organisation deals with it

•Issues reach EU policy agenda from long-term processes and short-term crisis processes

•EU Commission has initiated large ‘bundles’ of issues for EU policy agenda

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 2

Summary:

•             The nature of agendas

•             Issues are open to differing interpretations among 25 Member states

•             Negative as well as positive agenda-setting

•             Complex pre-agenda process

•             Control of ‘social construction’ of issue is key to satisfactory outcome

•             Avoiding national interest/EU interest conflict assists speedy issue acceptance on to
policy agenda