Co-managing programme implementation: conceptualizing the European Commission's role in policy execution

Abstract

This article presents a concept aimed towards a better understanding of the European Commission's role during the implementation of European policies. This constitutes a research deficit. While our knowledge about the Commission's ability to set the agenda and to influence decision-making has continuously advanced, we lag behind in understanding the Commission's behaviour in policy implementation. The article proposes a mechanism that explains Commission acting throughout policy execution on the basis of resource interdependencies. It argues that the Commission has an intrinsic motivation to overcome informational asymmetries during policy implementation in order to stabilize its ordinary functions in policy drafting and decision-making. The central theoretical argument is thus based on the vulnerability of the Commission due to its lack of a formal say in national policy execution while it is held responsible for implementation deficiencies by the other European institutions. In order to diminish that dilemma – which occurs especially when European programmes stretch over repetitive policy cycles – the Commission needs what is termed implementation management capacity (IMC).