The Responsiveness of the EU’s Policy Outputs to Citizens

Abstract

This panel invites participants to propose papers that examine on the one hand EU policies, and on the other hand citizens’ preferences and/or assessments of EU policies. Congruence between public policies and citizens’ policy preferences is central to many variants of democratic theory, though the mechanisms through which congruence is achieved vary considerably among different theoretical traditions. We welcome papers that assess variation in the strength of this congruence and/or the mechanisms through which it emerges. Selected papers may include quantitative studies that examine broad indicators of integration at the EU level and public support for EU integration. At the sectoral level, relevant papers might examine variation in the EU’s policy priorities and the direction of EU policy developments compared to citizens’ preferences and assessments. Relevant case studies may examine the mechanisms behind policy responsiveness by analyzing how EU policymakers design and implement policies to respond to or shape citizens’ opinions and assessments. We welcome paper proposals that examine EU policies and citizens empirically from any theoretical perspective using a systematic research design.

Title	Details
Public Opinion and the EU Railway Reform: Extending the Thermostatic Model	View Paper Details
The Responsiveness of the European Commission in Risk-related Decisions: External Pressure and Internal Dynamics	View Paper Details
Petitioning the European Parliament: The Committee on Petitions as Gatekeeper to Citizen Interests	View Paper Details
Winning Back the Hearts of European Citizens? Public Politicisation of European Integration and the Commission’s Responsiveness to Diffuse Societal Interests	View Paper Details