TAMING THE 'AWKWARD STATE'? THE CHANGING FACE OF EUROPEAN POLICY-MAKING UNDER BLAIR

TY - JOUR

T1 - TAMING THE 'AWKWARD STATE'? THE CHANGING FACE OF EUROPEAN POLICY-MAKING UNDER BLAIR

AU - James, Scott

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - This paper analyses the important changes to the European Union (EU) policy-making process within the UK core executive introduced by the Blair government between 1997 and 2007. Employing a strategic-relational network framework, it sets out to map the changing face of policy-making within the Whitehall EU network, and to evaluate and explain the impact of adaptation. The article argues that Labour's reform strategy has been double-edged: day-to-day coordination of EU policy has become increasingly informal, ad hoc and delegated downwards to departmental players while the role of the centre has been greatly strengthened in order to provide more effective strategic direction and political leadership. Despite these seemingly coherent reforms, however, many critical features of the process have been potentially detrimental to the projection of a more constructive European policy.

AB - This paper analyses the important changes to the European Union (EU) policy-making process within the UK core executive introduced by the Blair government between 1997 and 2007. Employing a strategic-relational network framework, it sets out to map the changing face of policy-making within the Whitehall EU network, and to evaluate and explain the impact of adaptation. The article argues that Labour's reform strategy has been double-edged: day-to-day coordination of EU policy has become increasingly informal, ad hoc and delegated downwards to departmental players while the role of the centre has been greatly strengthened in order to provide more effective strategic direction and political leadership. Despite these seemingly coherent reforms, however, many critical features of the process have been potentially detrimental to the projection of a more constructive European policy.

U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-9299.2009.01757.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1467-9299.2009.01757.x

M3 - Article

VL - 87

SP - 604

EP - 620

JO - Public Administration

JF - Public Administration

IS - 3

ER -