The role of European policies in planning and decision making

These policies aim to change actions and outcomes of the planning and decision making processes in such way that they meet European objectives. The European Union deals with many sectors and European objectives can be either procedural, substantial or both. Examples are environmental laws, structural funds, the Common Agricultural Policy, or Trans-European Transport Networks. The report Unseen Europe describes some of the consequences of European policies for planning and decision making in the Netherlands (Ravesteyn & Evers, 2004).

In order to discuss and judge European policies we need more insight in the relation of European policies and every day practices of decision making. Policy analysis is useful because it gives insight in the political implications of public policy. The thesis can be used to focus on the implementation of a specific European policy or to make a comparison between the implementation of different policies.

Period: by mutual agreement

Contact person: Raoul Beunen, raoul.beunen@wur.nl