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The article aims to explore the patterns of multilevel governance in Catalonia in the context of a process of Europeanization. Catalonia is no longer a simple sphere of linguistic & cultural identity deprived of political expression. Nor, however, is it a political reality with the structures of a nation state. Today, Catalonia is a country with a considerable degree of self-government, but whose place within Europe for the most part continues to be articulated through its political dependencies on the Spanish state. At the same time, it is a country with an internal network of strong local identities -- municipalities & comarques (or counties) -- & a capital, Barcelona, with its own extraordinary projection: all of which is also expressed in the political sphere. To explore the complexities of Catalan governance, first we develop a framework of analysis; secondly, we examine the multilevel distribution of public resources; & finally, we investigate the framing, at multiple territorial levels, of policies that handle these resources. 13 Tables, 1 Figure, 16 References. Adapted from the source document.

Digitised version produced by the EUI Library and made available online in 2020.

This paper develops a model of 'governance' as an aid for comparing such governance structures and applies these to a particular policy arena: policies on the protection of groundwater and on drinking water quality in the Netherlands and Florida. The research questions examined by this paper are: 1. Which elements make up a governance structure? 2. In what ways do these elements influence each other? 3. What are the differences between the multilevel structure of protection for aquifers in Florida and the Netherlands, and how do these differences relate to other differences in the governance structure? The analysis in this paper has shown that 'governance' involves more elements than policy objectives and the means to implement policy. These elements are not simply the sum of individual aspects but are closely interlinked. We have tried to illustrate how these interrelations work. The case study we used for this was the comparison between the Netherlands and Florida regarding the protection of the quality of groundwater and drinking water. The high degree of similarity between both states highlights the differences, which exist as well. The interrelations between these differences can be understood by using our hypotheses of the mechanisms by which they work.

At its founding in 1957, the European Union (EU) had no environmental policy, no environmental bureaucracy, and no environmental laws. When, in 1973, the EU began systematically to address environmental concerns there was little expectation that the environment would develop into one of the largest areas of common activity. Twenty-five years on, the EU has some of the most progressive environmental policies of any state in the world although it is not itself a state. At the same time, the preexisting environmental policies of the member states have undergone a progressive change through their involvement in EU environmental policymaking. In other words, the member states have created an institutional entity to perform certain tasks which has in turn deeply affected the way they themselves perceive and act against environmental problems. This theme issue of Government and Policy offers a retrospective analysis of these developments. The purpose of this introductory essay is to describe the historical evolution of EU environmental policy and to identify the most salient themes.

Presents an analytical framework for comparing patterns of devolution to subnational governments & autonomous social insurance institutions in social security systems. The framework has two components: (1) analysis of financial structures along the dimensions of financial autonomy (indicated by the extent to which the administering institution raises its own revenue or depends on central grants) & financial responsibility (indicated by whether marginal costs are borne by the administering institution) & (2) the assignment of policy-making power; in particular, the effects of competitive & cooperative modes of devolution are contrasted. The discussion uses examples from Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, & the US. While looking for "principal-agent" relationships between central governments & administering institutions, it was found that more complex multilevel governance structures prevailed in most cases. 1 Diagram, 24 References. Adapted from the source document.

Transnational policy networks appear to be an attractive common subject of both public policy & international relations, if we are interested in the consequences of globalization on public policy-making capacities. The article focuses on the confrontation between approaches that propose these networks as a new governance instrument & a more critical analytical perspective. Based on a theoretical model that analyzes transnational policy networks as interorganizational resource exchanges, empirical illustrations from the following research areas are presented: cooperation in border regions, transnational advocacy NGOs in human rights protection, & multilevel governance in the European Union. The article concludes that transnational policy networks are only relevant under very specific empirical conditions. Furthermore, the possibility to regulate these networks is severely limited. Finally, transnational policy networks raise important questions of democratic legitimacy. Adapted from the source document.

Presenting a fresh alternative to traditional state-centred analyses of the process of European integration, 'Governance in the European Union' clearly shows the interaction of subnational, national, and supranational actors in the emerging European polity. This 'multilevel politics' approach offers a powerful lens for viewing the future course of European integration. The authors' empirical exploration of areas such as regional governance, social policy, and social movements underpins their broad conceptual and theoretical framework, providing significant new insight into European politics.