European integration, domestic interest associations A Comparative Perspective Prof. Dr. Jan Beyers ACIM

1 The European Union and interest associations - The European Union is an actor: rules that impact upon domestic policies, politics and polities - The European Union is an arena: an additional political opportunity structure - European integration - has direct consequences: rules, regulations, directives - has indirect consequences: enlarging the scale of economic transactions

2 A simplified European POS domestic European

3 Research design: sampling actors and issues CountryType of interest group BelgiumNetherlandsGermanyFranceNGOsEmployersLabor Sample ResponseN=150N=107N=90N=128N=140N=251N=82 Response ratio 88%89%74%84%85%83%85% positional sample of groups in four countries; large amount of formal sources focused on influencing the EU’s role in WTO-policies in three sectors: agriculture, services and steel structured elite-interviews between 2003 and 2006 focused on 1, 2 or 3 issues per organization (to be selected out of list of 20 issues)

4 Domestic venues are still of a key importance, everywhere and for everyone! How are resources and efforts invested in public influence strategies and lobbying/ contacting strategies distributed across levels where you are active?

5 Networks generating influence (Belgian data)

6 Belgium; decentralized representation and a ‘diplomats paradise’ Category Domestic compentences Council (till june 2002)RotationRepresenation in Council DelegationAssessor IDominant federal General Affairs, Ecofin, Justice and Home Affairs, Telecommunication, Consumer policies, Development Cooperation, Civil Protection -federal- IIShared – mostly federal Internal Market, Health, Energy, Transport, Employment, Social Affairs Yes, assessorFederalCommunities/regions III Shared – mostly regional Industry, Research, Environment Yes, delegation Communities/regionsFederal IVDominant regions Tourism, Culture, Education, Youth, Urban Planning YesCommunities/regions- VOne regionFisheriesNoFlemish Community- VIDominant regional, but representation is delegated to the federal government AgricultureNoFederalWalloon Region and Flemish Community

7 Belgium; decentralized representation and a ‘diplomats paradise’ Category Domestic compentences Council (till june 2002)RotationRepresenation in Council DelegationAssessor IDominant federal General Affairs, Ecofin, Justice and Home Affairs, Telecommunication, Consumer policies, Development Cooperation, Civil Protection -federal- IIShared – mostly federal Internal Market, Health, Energy, Transport, Employment, Social Affairs Yes, assessorFederalCommunities/regions III Shared – mostly regional Industry, Research, Environment Yes, delegation Communities/regionsFederal IVDominant regions Tourism, Culture, Education, Youth, Urban Planning YesCommunities/regions- VOne regionFisheriesNoFlemish Community- VIDominant regional, but representation is delegated to the federal government AgricultureNoFederalWalloon Region and Flemish Community

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11 The European Union and interest associations Belgian coordination network as political opportunity structure for domestic interest groups: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cabinet of Foreign Affairs Top 5 contains 4 ministerial cabinets Top 5 are cross-sectoral / horizontal actors Federal level > regional levels Regional level: both cabinets and bureaucratic actors, both horizontal and vertical Not only a diplomats paradise, same in Germany, France and the Netherlands Much more politicized through cabinets Political parties, primarily coalition parties (same in Germany, France and the Netherlands) Demonstrates the executive dominance

12 Lessons learnt The EU has a substantial impact on civil society organizations (positive and negative) Almost nowhere do we find formalized access during the pre- negotiation stages There is a lot of informal lobbying taking place at the domestic level; a context that is highly segmented and complex Gaining influence is highly uncertain and very demanding in terms of resources and time (for everyone) Key is information, expertise, knowledge, and most, importantly, networks and allies; almost nobody lobbies alone

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