The Role of Expertise in EU Regulatory Governance

Abstract

Given the high levels of complexity of the policy issues at the EU level, expertise is a critical element in regulatory policy areas, such as pharmaceuticals, food, finance, environment, etc. Experts and expertise play an important role in providing credible information to reduce uncertainty and risk. In turn, policy-makers heavily rely on expert advice to manage an ever-expanding range of regulatory policy problems. The involvement of experts is an undeniable phenomenon in the EU, but it also intensifies discussions on legitimacy and democratic accountability. While a growing number of literature discusses the role of experts and internal and external sources of expertise, theoretical and empirical studies in the context of EU regulatory governance remain fragmented and under-researched. This panel focuses on theoretical and empirical research on when and how expert advice and bodies providing expertise matter to the evidence-based policy-making process in EU regulatory governance. The panel brings together researchers involved in the analysis of expertise in various policy domains. The aim is to critically discuss and re-examine existing concepts, such as different uses of expertise, complexity, salience, etc. It also identifies and contributes to the recent theoretical advancements by adopting various theoretical approaches in this field. All papers in this panel provide empirical evidence explaining the role and influence of experts and expertise in EU regulatory governance. In short, this panel includes theoretical, conceptual, methodological and empirical contributions that address the following topics: - Different functions/concepts of expertise in EU regulatory governance; - Role/influence of EU agencies, European Central Bank, scientific committees, etc.; - Theoretical and institutional conditions explaining the use of experts and expertise; - Comparison of the use of expertise in different policy domains and policy-making stages; - Production and dissemination of expertise in the EU; - Dynamic interaction between experts and politicians.

Title	Details
Emerging Practices of Expertise Use: The Case of EU Food Regulatory Policy Making Process	View Paper Details
Expertise of EU Agencies: Advisors or Policy-Makers in European Health Policy?	View Paper Details
The Politics Behind the Consultation of Expert Groups: A Strategy to Offset Salience or to Reduce Complexity?	View Paper Details
Conceptualising Excessive Deficit in the Eurozone: Expertise, Regulatory Standards and Risk Communication	View Paper Details
Expertise Embedded in International Communities: The Case of EU Pharmaceutical Regulation	View Paper Details