Abstract
In October 1990, the EC Commission presented a Green Paper in which it outlined a New Approach to European standardization. In particular, standardization was interpreted as a means of furthering the completion of the Internal Market. This paper discusses the impact of the modifications to the process of standard setting, as they have been proposed by the Commission, with respect to the incentives and goals of the major players in the European standardization game, i.e., national and European standardization bodies, industry and the EC Commission. Selected economic models of standardization are applied to investigate the policy impact of the New Approach.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Besen, S.M. (1990). “The European Telecommunications Standards Institute.” Telecommunications Policy. 14(6), 521-530.
Breton, A. and Wintrobe, R. (1982). The Logic of Bureaucratic Conduct, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Chant, J.F. and Acheson, K. (1972). “The Choice of Monetary Instruments and the Theory of Bureaucracy.” Public Choice. 12, 12-34.
Choi, J.P. (1996). “Standardization and Experimentation: Ex Ante vs. Ex Post Standardization.” In: M.J. Holler and J.-F. Thisse (eds.), The Economics of Standardization, Special Issue of the European Journal of Political Economy. 12, 273-290.
CEN (Comité Européen de Normalisation) (1994). The New Approach-Legislation and Standards on the Free Movement of Goods in Europe (Brussels: CEN-Central Secretariat).
Dowling, M. and Leidner, A. (1990). “Technical Standards and 1992: Opportunity or Entry Barrier in the New Europe?” Columbia Journal of World Business. 25(3), 50-56.
Downs, A. (1957). An Economic Theory of Democracy, New York: Harper and Row.
EC (Commission of the European Communities) (1983). “Council Directive of 28 March laying down the procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulation.” Official Journal of the European Community. No. L 109, April 26, 1983.
EC (Commission of the European Communities) (1985a). White Paper from the Commission to the European Council. Completing the Internal Market. COM (85), 310, June 14, 1985.
EC (Commission of the European Communities) (1985b). Council Resolution of 7 May 1985, on a New Approach to Technical Harmonization and Standards, Official Journal of the European CommunityNo. C 136, June 6, 1995.
EC (Commission of the European Communities) (1990). Green Paper on the Development of European Standardization: Action for further technological integration in Europe, COM (90), 456 final, October 8, 1990.
EC (Commission of the European Communities) (1993). White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness, Employment: the Challenges and Ways Forward into the 21st Century, COM (93) 700 final, December 5, 1993.
Falke, J. (1989). “Elements of a Horizontal Product Safety Policy for the European Community.” Journal of Consumer Policy. 12, 207-228.
Farrell, J. and Saloner, G. (1986). “Standardization and Variety.” Economics Letters. 20, 71-74.
Genschel, P. (1995). Standards in der Informationstechnik. Institutioneller Wandel in der internationalen Standardisierung, Frankfurt/New York: Campus Verlag.
Goerke, L. and Holler, M.J. (1995). “Voting on Standardization.” Public Choice. 83, 337-351.
Holler, M.J. (1997). “Die Rationalität strategischer Normung in Europa.” Jahrbuch für Neue Politische Ökonomie. 16, 90-114.
Jeanneret, M.-H. and Verdier, Th. (1996). “Standardization and Protection in a Vertical Differentiation Model.” In: M.J. Holler and J.-F. Thisse (eds.), The Economics of Standardization. Special Issue of the European Journal of Political Economy. 12, 253-271.
Katz, M.L. and Shapiro, C. (1994). “Systems Competition and Network Effects.” Journal of Economic Perspectives. 8, 93-115.
Maskin, E. (1979). “Implementation and Strong Nash Equilibrium.” In: J.J. Laffont (ed.), Aggregation and Revelation of Preferences, 433-439, Amsterdam: North-Holland.
Matutes, C. and Regibeau, P. (1996). “A Selective Review of the Economics of Standardization: Entry Deterrence, Technological Progress and International Competition.” In: M.J. Holler and J.-F. Thisse (eds.), The Economics of Standardization, Special Issue of the European Journal of Political Economy. 12, 183-209.
Migué, J.-L. and Bélanger, G. (1974). “Towards a General Theory of Managerial Discretion.” Public Choice. 17, 27-43.
Moulin, H. and Peleg, B. (1982). “Cores of Effectivity Functions and Implementation Theory.” Journal of Mathematical Economics. 10, 115-145.
Mueller, D.C. (1989). Public Choice II, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Niskanen, W.A. (1971). Bureaucracy and Representative Government, Chicago: Aldine-Atherton, NY.
Pelkmans, J. (1987). “The New Approach to Technical Harmonization and Standardization.” Journal of Common Market Studies. 25, 249-269.
Pelkmans, J. and Egan, M. (1992). “Fixing European Standards: Moving Beyond the Green Paper.” Centre For European Policy Studies, Working Document No. 65.
Rogmans, W.H.J. (1989). “Consumer Interest in Safety Related Standards for European Consumer Products.” Journal of Consumer Policy. 12, 193-205.
Steunenberg, B., Schmidtchen, D. and Koboldt, C. (1997). “A Method for Evaluating the Distribution of Power in Policy Games: Strategic Power in the European Union.” Paper delivered at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association.
Tullock, G. (1965). The Politics of Bureaucracy, Washington, D.C.: Public Affairs Press.
Woeckner, B. (1997). “The European Standardization System: How Much In Need of Reform Is It?.” Homo Oeconomicus. 14, 391-412.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Goerke, L., Holler, M. Strategic Standardization in Europe: A Public Choice Perspective. European Journal of Law and Economics 6, 95–112 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008043812961
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008043812961