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
Additional Sources:
Princen, S. (2007) ‘Agenda-setting in the E.U.: a theoretical exploration and agenda for research’,
Journal of European Public Policy, 14:1, pp.21-38.
Princen, S. (2011) “Agenda-setting strategies in E.U. policy processes’, in the Journal of European
Public Policy, Vol.18, no.7, pp.927-943.
Warleigh-Lack, A. and Drachenberg, R. (2011) ‘Spillover in a soft policy era? Evidence from the
Open Method of Co- ordination in education and training’, in the Journal of European Public Policy,
Vol.18, no.7, pp.999-1015

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
- key difference between EU and       individual states
- 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
b) the social and political construction          of the issue

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 2
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 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
- 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 2
Summary:
1.The place of agenda-setting in the policy   process
a)No policy outcomes can be reached without firstly the issue being placed on the EU policy agenda
b)Issues reach the policy agenda usually as a result of substantial political mobilisation
c)Specific to EU is link between agenda-setting and integration process

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 2
Summary:
2. Agenda-setting as a political process
a)Identification, clarification, definition of an issue is open to political self-interest
b)Definition of issue will determine which institution and organisation deals with it
c)Issues reach EU policy agenda from long-term processes and short-term crisis processes
d)EU Commission has initiated large ‘bundles’ of issues for EU policy agenda

European Union Public Policy
Lecture 2
Summary:
3. The nature of agendas
a)Issues are open to differing interpretations among 28 Member states
b)Negative as well as positive agenda-setting
c)Complex pre-agenda process
d)Control of ‘social construction’ of issue is key to satisfactory outcome
e)Avoiding national interest/EU interest conflict assists speedy issue acceptance on to policy
agenda