Representations of Scale : Influencing EU policy through transnational networks

• Main Author: Hanssen, Christina Wår
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, Institutt for historie og klassiske fag 2013
• Subjects: EU; region; regions; regional cooperation; influence; advocacy; lobbyism; legitimacy; multi-level governance; policy network approach; transnational networks
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:no:ntnu:diva-21481

All Norwegian regions are represented with permanent offices and are engaged in different activities in the EU capital. This thesis investigates the regional and network level of EU policy-making, and asks the questions of what Norwegian regions are doing in Brussels; if are they are able to influence EU policy; and what effect participation in transnational policy networks have on their abilities to influence EU policy. To answer this, it applies a theoretical framework comprised of multi-level governance and the policy network approach to conduct an analysis of empirical data collected through interviews with different actors in Brussels. The present thesis argues that participation in transnational policy networks improve Norwegian regions' abilities to influence EU policy through being 'representations of scale'.