European Union Public Policy
All classes will take place at 16.00 in Room U23 at FSS
16.04.20 Lecture 1 and Lecture 2
23.04.20 Lectures 3, 4 and 5
30.04.20 Lecture 6 plus Workshop
Essay Deadline: 11 May 2020. To be submitted by email  to jitaly25@hotmail.com or through the
Masaryk University Information System

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
Additional Sources:
Journal of European Public Policy Vol.14, No.5, 2007 (Special Issue: Mutual Recognition as a New
Mode of Governance)
Duina, F. and Raunio, T. (2007) ‘The open method of co-ordination and national parliaments: further
marginalisation or new opportunities?’, Journal of European Public Policy, 14:4, pp.489-506.

European Union Public Policy
Bailey, I. (2002) ‘National adaptation to European integration: institutional vetoes and
goodness-of-fit’, Journal of European Public Policy, Vol. 9, no. 5: 791-811.
Bomberg, E. & Stubb, A. The European Union: How Does It Work?, Oxford, Oxford Univ. Press, 2003.
(especially Ch. 6 & 7)
Cini, M. European Union Politics, Oxford, Oxford Univ. Press, 2003.
Dinan, D. Ever Closer Union, Basingstoke, Palgrave, 2005 (espec. Ch. 14 – Social Policy, Employment
and the Environment)
Falkner, G. Hartlapp, M. Leiber, S. Trieb O. (2004) ‘Non-Compliance with E.U. Directives in the
Member States: Opposition through the Backdoor?’, West European Politics, Vol. 27, no. 3: 452-473.
Falkner, G. & Trieb, O. (2005) ‘Explaining E.U. Policy Implementation Across Countries: Three Modes
of Adaptation’, in Falkner, G. Trieb, O. Hartlapp, M. & Lieber, S. (eds.) Complying with Europe.
E.U. Harmonisation and Soft Law in the Member States, Cambridge, Cambridge Univ. Press, 2005

European Union Public Policy
Professor John Wilton
George, S. & Bache, I. Politics in the European Union, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2001
Hooghe, L. Cohesion Policy and European Integration, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2005 (espec.
Ch. 12 – Policy Networks)
Princen, S. & Rhinard, M. (2006) ‘Crashing and creeping: agenda-setting dynamics in the European
Union’, Journal of European Public Policy, Vol. 13, no. 7: 1119-1132.
Sherrington, P. (2000) ‘Shaping the Policy Agenda: Think Tank Activity in the European Union’,
Global Society, Vol. 14, no.2: 173-189.

European Union Public Policy
Professor John Wilton
Lecture 1
The basis of, and principles underpinning, E.U. public policy: harmonisation, mutual recognition
and convergence?

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
1.Harmonisation and convergence
2. Diversity and mutual recognition

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
BUT, by Maastricht Treaty (1993) Social Charter stated account should be taken of “diverse forms of
national practices, in particular in the field of contractual relations”
   - stressed the need to maintain the   competitiveness of the Community’s   economy

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
Harmonisation of public policy not defined as, or suggested to mean, complete unification of social
systems and public policy
- But acceptance of certain common principles and standards of public policy

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
-harmonisation seen as means of avoiding ‘welfare tourism’
• - and avoiding distortion of     economic ‘competition’

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
Single European Act (1985) – convergence in fiscal and employment law
-improvement in infrastructures and standards of education and training
-for competitive Single European Market harmonisation of public policy necessary

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
- BUT Jacques Delors, as Head of the E.U. Commission,
      - advocated    COHERENCE/COHESION
= Acceptance of diversity and ‘MUTUAL RECOGNITION’

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
COHESION = Member states ‘encouraged’ to co-operate and     co-ordinate their efforts in order to
bring about greater economic and social cohesion between the regions

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
‘Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers’, 1989
-harmonisation in context of freedom of movement – object of harmonising conditions of residence in
all member states
- harmonise duration of paid leave from work
- harmonise safety conditions at workplace

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
‘Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers’, 1989
- allowed member states to continue with national differences in social protection systems
- Social Charter (Maastricht Treaty 1993) – no mention of harmonisation
- respect for national differences

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
‘Open Method of Co-ordination’ (OMC)
- formally launched at Lisbon EU Council, March 2000
- purpose to spread legislative (and therefore, policy-making) ‘best practices’ across the EU
Member States – primarily in the areas where the EU had no formal regulatory competence

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
SUMMARY:
1.Each enlargement made harmonisation less likely
2.‘Deepening’ versus ‘widening’ – contradiction between economic and monetary union necessitating
public policy convergence and expansion of E.U. complicating convergence

European Union Public Policy
Lecture  1
SUMMARY:
3. Differences in public policy in each member state due to stage of social and economic
development of each country – plus specific forms of national public policy resulting from social,
economic, political and cultural traditions
BUT -  can identify some underpinning principles of E.U. public policy

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
SUMMARY:
-i.e. principles of E.U. public policy based on ‘core values’ of social progress (i.e. high levels
of employment, social protection, raising living standards and quality of life, promoting social
cohesion and social justice)

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
SUMMARY:
 ‘Europeanisation’ of public policy?
-based upon framework of principles of social protection, social welfare, social justice, equality
of opportunity
-A balance between harmonisation, convergence, diversity and mutual recognition

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 1
SUMMARY:
 ‘Europeanisation’ of public policy?
-A multi-level, varied approach model of E.U. public policy integration, respecting diversity
through mutual recognition
-in different public policy areas and at different
public policy levels, different integrated approaches and degrees of integration employed