Differentiated policy implementation in the European Union

2023/10/17 by Asya Zhelyazkova, Eva Thomann, Eva Ruffing +1 · 1 voice · 4 citations
Social Sciences · #European Union Policy and Governance #Policy Transfer and Learning #Social Policy and Reform Studies

paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/01402382.2023.2257963

openalex publication_date 2023/10/17 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/14

Abstract

This special issue analyses the patterns, causes and consequences of Differentiated Policy Implementation (DPI) in the European Union (EU). DPI is an umbrella term for the diversity in the presence and use of discretion during legal and practical policy implementation processes and outcomes in the EU. The emergent DPI research agenda emphasises differentiation in EU policy implementation beyond mere legal compliance, which is more widespread, and its role in the broader political and policy processes of EU multilevel governance. The contributions highlight anticipated implementation as one dimension of DPI, as well as legal and practical implementation. DPI serves as an alternative to differentiated integration (DI), accommodating heterogeneous national preferences, capacities and conditions, and feeding back into EU policy-making. The impact of DPI on the EU’s output legitimacy and effectiveness depends on scope conditions that require more scholarly attention.

Citations

• Democracy and Legitimacy in the European Union Revisited: Input, Output and ‘Throughput’
• Un-solvable crises? Differential implementation and transboundary crisis management in the EU

Cited by

• Explaining Differentiated Policy Implementation of EU Animal Welfare Regulations
• Where to wriggle? Norwegian politicians’ presentations of autonomy within the EEA association
• External differentiated integration: between stability and change
• Did pandemic responses trigger corruption in public procurement? Comparing Italy and Germany
• Barriers to environmental policy implementation: stakeholder perceptions in the context of Ireland

Discussions

• Ah, sorry, now it should work! Thanks for spotting! doi.org/10.1080/0140... [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]

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