Interest Groups and Regulatory Regimes: Integration of Interest Groups in Policy Formation and Implementation in Danish Business Regulation and Social Regulation

In many countries it is common to establish regulatory bodies with the representation from the regulated industries and other groups. The representation of different groups in non-hierarchical bodies such as commissions, committees, appeal boards etc. are signals of the willingness to accommodate decisions to affected interests. Representation may vary between different regulatory areas and over time. Social regulation is expected to mirror a broader set of interests compared to traditional business interests, and liberalization and increased emphasis on consumer interests and other collective goods point to broader representation over time. The paper compares the composition of non-hierarchical bodies in Danish business regulation and environmental regulation in 1975 and 2010 with special respect to the balance between business groups, consumer groups, and environmental groups.