The OMC: An Opaque Method of Consideration or Deliberative Governance in Action?

Abstract

The Open Method of Coordination (OMC) is a new mode of European Union (EU) governance which, according to political rhetoric, aims to install (elements of) deliberative governance at the level. The article provides an empirical assessment of whether and how deliberative processes are actually induced in the practical implementation of the method. It presents results of a series of interviews conducted with members of the Employment Committee of the EU. The collected empirical material suggests that, in spite of initial expectations, the OMC (so far) falls short in establishing a novel deliberative basis of legitimacy for EU governance.