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Why (and how ) still study the OMC?

Why (and how ) still study the OMC? . Caroline de la Porte. Outline. Aim and origin of paper European Integration New modes of governance Europeanization. European Integration. Neo-functionalism Intergovernmentalism Advocacy coalitions-interests and beliefs Experts- ideas

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Why (and how ) still study the OMC?

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  1. Why (and how) still study the OMC? Caroline de la Porte

  2. Outline • Aim and origin of paper • European Integration • New modes of governance • Europeanization

  3. European Integration • Neo-functionalism • Intergovernmentalism • Advocacycoalitions-interests and beliefs • Experts-ideas • OMC (governancearchitecture and policy objectives)rapidlymovingobject

  4. OMC as a NMG • Input and output legitimacy • Governing by numbers • Justiciability (at best in shadow of hierarchy) At normative level, dispute about potential impact • Potential of learning in the OMC (Zeitlin) • Weak potential for learning in the OMC (Kroger, Lodge, Hartlapp)

  5. Impact of OMC: Europeanization • Ideational impact\cognitive aspect • Direct\indirect • Learning from where • Top down – guidelines, benchmarks • Peers - other countries • ESF • Other usages of the OMC – as a political opportunity structure

  6. Mechanismsof (Ideational) change: Mechanismsofideationalchange: • Socialization: exposuretonewinformation (civilservants, NGOs) in foraof OMC (SPC, indicatorsgroups, ESF committees) • Diffusion of an idea (parliament, media) • Reflexive learning (learning about one’s own policies and institutions - strengths but also weaknesses - on the basis of information produced in or deliberated within the OMC process (Zeitlin, 2005, 2009).

  7. Methodologicalchallenges • Ideationalchangetakesplaceoverlongperiodof time • Difficulttodistinguishinfluenceof OMC fromotherfactors (i.e. domesticintiatives, OECD) • Difficulttosaywithcertaintythatideas, such asactiveageingcomefromthe OMC • More specificideas, carefortheelderlyorchildpoverty, canwithmorecertaintybetraced back to OMC • Difficulttoidentifytheroleofthe OMC in theprocessofpolicychange

  8. Other Usages of the OMC • OMC canbeusedasleverageforagenda-setting andbargaining (Blyth: ideasasweapons, Beland, Power ofideas) • Blame-shifting • When used instrumentally, the OMC agenda can be adopted fully or partially, or it can be ignored

  9. OMC and policy change • For the OMC to lead to policy change, policy ideas and new knowledge associated with specific frames (of problems and solutions) should be transformed into initiatives and strategies. • This necessarily involves some degree of translation or ‘re-interpretation’, that is adapting to political preferences and institutional legacies (Barbier, 2008; Martinsen, 2005). • This is the most difficult and most disputed aspect in studies on the impact of the OMC

  10. Wholearns? For whatpurpose? • Government • Civil society • Social partners • Think-tanks • Politicians, political parties • Media

  11. Learning in the OMC – which results • Faming for some governments • Framing for NGOs, thatalsouse the OMC agenda as a politicalopportunitystructure • Longitudinal perspective • ESF, EES – case of spain • Selective use of the OMC agenda to fit priorities • Diverse interpretation of ideas – translation according to national norms, institutions and political priorities merits more attention

  12. Contextualizing the OMC

  13. Concluding remarks 1 • Economic and budgetary pressure for reform from DG ecfin, Ecofin, OECD, IMF, ECB, credit-rating agencies • Social priorities put forward by DG employment, employment and social affairs council, OECD • Institutional affiliation may be less important than their reform agendas and their power (conditionalities, money, political bite, consequences of non-compliance)

  14. Fit misfit?

  15. Concluding remarks 2 • Cumulative and conflictual influence of different actors, instruments • OMC has never been the single cause in a given ideational process, let alone in a given reform process • Necessary to consider policy coordination OMC within the process of domestic reform process • Scholarship on europeanization and comparative welfare state reform should come closer together and not move further apart

  16. The future of the OMC: Europe 2020 • Lift 20 million people out of poverty by 2020 according to ”national povertytargets” • In some cases, notarget; in others, target is not realistic; in others, there is no ambition • Povertyintegratedintocorelisbonstrategy: thismeans not only social ministries, but alsofinanceministriesneed to address it • Flagshipinitiative in area of poverty • Pensions and healthcare OMC to continue in parallel

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