ABSTRACT

This paper identifies three ’harder’ – potentially more constraining – features of existing OMCs (employment and social inclusion), explains why they are ‘hardening’, and draws lessons for the Energy Union. The first ‘harder’ element is ‘EU benchmarks and national targets’, where the former signals EU commitment and sets direction over the medium term, while the latter bind member states to develop policy in line with EU strategic priorities. The second harder element is ‘two-level policy dialogue’, referring to two-level administrative coordination – around national reports, EU assessment of member state performance and Country Specific Recommendations. ‘Two-level policy dialogue’ is ‘hardening’, because it is structured around the key EU aims, priorities and benchmarks, but at the same time targeted at each individual member state. The third harder element is ‘policy entrepreneurs’, as such individuals are capable of mobilizing high-level political commitment at the EU and member state levels. We assess that these three elements together contribute to a ‘hardening’ – and thus potential to change policy – of OMC-type governance, which is already taking place in Energy Union. We also note that two other factors – institutional capabilities and financial resources – are crucial in conjunction with Energy Union.

摘要

本文确定了现有OMC的三个“更难”（可能更具约束性）特征（就业和社会包容），解释了它们为何“变强”的原因，并为能源联盟提供了经验教训。第一个“较难”要素是“欧盟基准和国家目标”，前者表示欧盟的承诺并在中期设定方向，而后者则约束成员国根据欧盟的战略重点制定政策。第二个较难的要素是“两级政策对话”，涉及两级行政协调-围绕国家报告，欧盟对成员国绩效的评估和特定国家建议。“两级政策对话”之所以“硬化”，是因为它围绕欧盟的主要目标，优先事项和基准进行了结构设计，但同时针对的是每个成员国。第三个困难因素是“政策企业家”，因为这些人有能力动员欧盟和成员国一级的高层政治承诺。我们评估这三个要素共同促进了能源联盟已经在进行的OMC型治理的“强化”-从而有可能改变政策。我们还注意到，另外两个因素-机构能力和财政资源-与能源联盟一起至关重要。