Horizontal intergovernmental coordination in Europe: Challenges, Institutions and Processes on Local level

Abstract

This panel addresses researchers dealing with problems of horizontal coordination from a policy or multilevel governance perspective. Subnational policymaking always involves a specific modes of horizontal coordination between diverse policy sectors, territorial units or interest groups. Furthermore, local horizontal coordination deals with the local coordination mechanisms governmental between different stakeholders, as well as representatives from civil society or local communities. In this sense the input- and output legitimacy plays a crucial role in this horizontal governance process. Political decision-makers understand the importance of horizontal local level coordination, but we still don't know exactly how to make it happen. It is thus the aim of the panel to present and discuss the challenges of horizontal and vertical coordination and to develop insights on the nature of local level coordination problems and their solutions to achieve better coordination results and outcomes. We expect that different country profiles will demonstrate which arenas and processes of horizontal coordination exist, how they work and how they relate to a country's institutional framework. We invite to discuss the country or policy cases, giving examples of specific horizontal coordination cases contributing to better understanding which structural problems are more important in specific policy fields or institutional settings, which institutional or procedural ways were selected to deal with coordination challenges and what are most efficient mechanisms in enabling horizontal governance networks. We invite the country or policy-based cases that represent the evidence from different European countries and beyond. The papers should also provide empirical bases for comparative theoretical and practical implications in discussing challenges in vertical and horizontal coordination. The papers may represent different theoretical approaches and disciplines such as political science, public administration, public management, sociology, human geography.

Title	Details
An innovative example of cross-border collaboration between municipalities in the Iberian Peninsula	View Paper Details
The inner life of local governance networks: are there differences in perceptions between political and civil society actors? – evidences from Portugal	View Paper Details
Mapping of horizontal intergovernmental coordination in Iceland	View Paper Details
Is there room for effective horizontal coordination: a case of Lithuania	View Paper Details
A United Voice for Local Interests? – An Analysis of the Decision-Making Processes of Local Government Associations in Germany and the United States	View Paper Details