ENTRANET · Protecting the Environment. Transnational Networks in the Emergence of a new EC Policy in the 1970s

Protecting the environment. Transnational networks in the emergence of a new EC Policy in the 1970s

The goal of the research project 'Protecting the environment. Transnational networks in the emergence of a new EC Policy in the 1970s' (see http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/sshls/staff/title,78722,en.html online) was to inquire into the origins of an environmental policy at the level of the European Community (EC)/European Union (EU) in the 1970s well before its incorporation into the treaties in 1987. Why did the EC establish an environmental policy at a time that is usually characterised as Europe's dark ages and managed to pass innovative environmental legislation despite the unanimity requirement in Council decision making? Contrary to the traditionally prevalent historiography that almost exclusively focused on the role of the Member States, this project sought to take all relevant actors into account. The guiding hypothesis was that Member State actors, representatives of the European institutions and non-state actors - including environmental groups and experts - established network-type relationships among each other, and cooperated transnationally to push for and set the new environmental agenda. The project was embedded in the relevant interdisciplinary debate: Political science provided an indispensable background regarding theories and methodology (e.g. networks, governance and Europeanisation), as well as on European and national environmental politics and movements. Environmental history, social and political history as well as EU history provided the necessary historical background. Research on the emerging, but already highly complex European political system from a network perspective requires taking into account a variety of actors. European, national and NGO archives in six countries were consulted. Since in many cases the archival records of NGOs were destroyed or inaccessible, published sources and oral history interviews were used as an important source of information. A case study on the Council Directive of 2 April 1979 on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) provided an instructive starting point for research of early EC environmental policy making and the dynamics of transnational network type cooperation. The results of the research provide substantial evidence for the hypothesis that transnational networks across different kinds of actors were indeed crucial for the establishment of European environmental policy. The case of the birds directive demonstrates that members of the European Parliament responded to the public outcry against the 'murder of birds' in Southern Europe and placed the issue on the European agenda. The European Commission cooperated with experts from NGOs and national ministries. The case provides evidence of early environmental lobbying of the EC and the member states by bird protection activists and hunters. Three relevant conclusions can be drawn that give new insights about EU politics and policy making in a longer-term perspective. First, transnational networks across different types of actors and institutions did indeed form. They proved influential in European environmental policy making from the very beginning. Secondly, the European institutions in the 1970s were much more responsive to external demands from society (NGOs, experts, public opinion) than the literature routinely assumes. Thirdly, lobbying and expertise are not a novel phenomenon of the 1990s, but have been a current feature of EC policy making for some time. These findings make an important empirical contribution to the normative debates among academics, lawyers, policy makers and journalists on the legitimacy of the EU. The research project equally served key training objectives for fellow: Undertaking this innovative and comprehensive post-doctoral research project, provided a unique learning experience, with regard to theory, methodology, multi-archival research, writing, dissemination and project management. Teaching experience in English enhance his chances for a permanent position.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union