Learning from Practical Experience: Implementation Epistemic Communities in the European Union

Abstract

Literature on European Union (EU) policymaking has largely neglected how European institutions, such as the Commission, learn from experiences from the implementation of EU policies, and how this practical expertise enters the policy process. In this chapter, we explore how learning relationships between domestic implementing agencies and the Commission are shaped. The case of the 2013 reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) shows that cooperation between implementing agencies in a network organisation contributed to their certification by the Commission and the establishment of a channel for frequent interactions. The following dynamic relationship was further deepened by the ability of the actors to find mutual objectives over time. It was most fruitful in fine-tuning newly introduced policy instruments, only after the finalisation of the content of the basic regulations.

Keywords

Appendix 6.1: List of Interviews

Interviewee code	Official capacity	Organisation	Date
Interview 1	Dick Oele (NL), Senior Policy Advisor Implementation Frameworks of the Common Agricultural Policy RVO	Dutch Paying Agency	May 2015
Interview 2	Hans van Ek (NL), Senior Policy Advisor RVO	Former Secretary to the Learning Network of EU Paying Agencies	January 2016
Interview 3	Ana Brncic (HR), Policy Officer	Unit D2—Greening, Cross-Compliance and POSEI), DG AGRI	June 2016
Interview 4	Nicolas Clisson (FR), Head of Unit	Unit 3—Implementation Support monitoring, IACS and LPIS, DG AGRI	June 2016
Interview 5	Rudolf Mögele (DE), Deputy Director-General	DG AGRI	June 2017
Interview 6	Anders Egonson (SE), Director of the Swedish Board of Agriculture	Swedish Paying Agency, Current Chairman of Learning Network	August 2017
Interview 7	Michael Cooper (UK), Director UK Co-ordinating Body September 2017	British Paying Agency, Former Chairman of Learning Network	September 2017