The implementation of EU energy law – playing the game of multi-level (non)coordination

For EU energy law implementation, a new and complex decision-making procedure, involving regulatory agencies and stakeholders at national, regional and the European level has been established. In this paper we analyze the interaction between private and public actors on each level – as well as the interplay between these levels - and ask to what extent the new regulatory procedure contributes to a harmonized and integrated European energy market. We conceptualize the involved actors as strategic utility maximizers, arguing that they will exploit the strategic options provided at the different levels of decision-making – inducing variance with regard to the implementation decisions. Using policy-documents and interview data, we analyze the implementation within four member states (Denmark, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands) cooperating in two regions and on the European level.