Abstract
This chapter introduces a categorization of the 11 European countries according to their general vertical governance structures between national, regional and local levels in welfare policy making. It investigates the extent to which, and how, local policies and service provision are regulated and controlled from the national state level, and how much space this leaves for local policy actors in welfare policy formation. The analysis takes into account that local welfare policies are formulated in the context of national and to some extent international policies. The 11 countries can be divided into three groups, having a centralized (England, Ireland), multi-level (Italy, Spain, France, Germany) or decentralized (Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Hungary, the Czech Republic) vertical governance system. More detailed analysis of different policy fields shows that vertical governance between territorial levels differs from one sector to another.
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- 1.
The concept of multilevel governance is used here in a narrower sense than is often used (for example, Kazepov 2010). Here it merely emphasizes the role of the regions, or other intermediate policy making levels between national and local levels.
- 2.
The Union will implement a vocational training policy, which will support and supplement the action of the Member States, while fully respecting the responsibility of the Member States for the content and organization of vocational training.
- 3.
Decision No 1720/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 November 2006 establishing an action programme in the field of lifelong learning.
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Kuronen, M., Caillaud, P. (2015). Vertical Governance, National Regulation and Autonomy of Local Policy Making. In: Kutsar, D., Kuronen, M. (eds) Local Welfare Policy Making in European Cities. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 59. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16163-1_5
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