European Union Public Policy

                                       Professor John Wilton

                                             Lecture 3

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

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                       Professor John Wilton

                                             Lecture 3

Additional Source:

Princen, S. ‘Agenda-setting in the E.U.: a theoretical exploration and agenda for research’, Journal
of European Public Policy, 14:1, pp.21-38.

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 3

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 3

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

          - key difference between EU and                          individual states

          - link between agenda-setting and     the EU integration process

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 3

2. Agenda-setting as a political process



          a) the identification, determination                        and clarification of the issue

         

          b) the social and political construction                   of the issue

            

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 3

3. The nature of agendas

          - differing interpretations of issues,                    agendas and policies

          - danger of different forms of policy                 outcomes

          - negative agenda-setting

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 3

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 3

3. The nature of agendas

        - first stage of agenda-setting –                       social construction of the issue

        - additional agenda ‘spillover’

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

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 3

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

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

                                    European Union Public Policy
                                             Lecture 3

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 3

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