The Potential of Deliberative Policy Analysis: Examining the Role of Bureaucrats in Energy Transitions

Contemporary policy-making, without clearly defined rules, norms or measures is taking part in an institutional void (Hajer, 2003). We are also facing one of the most complex and central policy challenges – energy systems (Miller, 2013). Efforts to transform energy systems towards sustainable development involve many challenges, while different policy actors who design and develop energy policy remains particular important. As Hajer (2003) would argue, policy and polity are both dependent on the outcomes of discursive interactions, where it is necessary to pay attention to actors who deliberate. Since 1980's the EU energy policy has become an important and far-reaching areas of EU legislation which nowadays presents a long-standing aim of the EU policy (Jordan, Schout and Unfied, 2013). As an effective and sustainable energy transition relies on the cooperation of many policy actors (EU institutions, national and administrative bodies and affected interest groups) there exists a sustained pressure from the EU on national policy-makers to effectively coordinate the energy policy. Therefore, this paper examines the role of bureaucrats in the under-researched field of forming national positions on EU energy policy proposals (national coordination of EU policy). This is the decision-making process that links policymaking at the national and supranational (EU) levels where policymaking is often less transparent. As a rule, national bureaucrats control the process of forming national positions (Kassim et al., 2000) and of creating space for deliberation in which other actors participate. Our article has two aims: (1) to explore the role and impact of bureaucrats in forming an effective and sustainable energy policy in the process of national coordination of EU policy based on three EU policy proposals: energy performance of buildings, waste electrical and electronic equipment and promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. The data from the conducted interviews will be gathered through the Intereuro (N5-0014) project; and (2) to assess the potential of action research of the stakeholders meetings for deliberative policy analysis in terms of potential contributions to new institutional rules and norms of behaviour (Hajer, 2003). Based on the case study of Slovenia, we argue, firstly, that stakeholder meetings are valuable tools for gaining an in-depth insight into energy transitions - and for finding ways of improving their challenging character; and, secondly, that the actual improvements in energy policy depend on bureaucrats conscientiously deciding whether to invest their interests in the field.