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The willing, the unwilling and the unable – explaining implementation of the EU Biofuels Directive

Di Lucia, Lorenzo LU and Kronsell, Annica LU (2010) In Journal of European Public Policy 17(4). p.545-563
Abstract
In this article we test current knowledge of policy implementation in multi-level governance systems and focus on the case of transport biofuels. The EU biofuel directive is a highly debated case with a disappointing implementation record. We probe a set of implementation hypotheses in a qualitative comparative analysis, offering a systematic comparison of ten member states between 2003 and 2006. The findings show that implementation of the EU biofuels policy is a complex phenomenon where combinations of causal conditions, and not single conditions, produces the outcome. We conclude that implementation is more likely when favourable conditions are present, in agreement with previous studies. Non-implementation, on the other hand, is... (More)
In this article we test current knowledge of policy implementation in multi-level governance systems and focus on the case of transport biofuels. The EU biofuel directive is a highly debated case with a disappointing implementation record. We probe a set of implementation hypotheses in a qualitative comparative analysis, offering a systematic comparison of ten member states between 2003 and 2006. The findings show that implementation of the EU biofuels policy is a complex phenomenon where combinations of causal conditions, and not single conditions, produces the outcome. We conclude that implementation is more likely when favourable conditions are present, in agreement with previous studies. Non-implementation, on the other hand, is explained by a dichotomy between the unable ¬ and the unwilling. The lack of willingness exposes to failure even the fittest national system. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
European Union, Transport biofuels, EU policy, Qualitative comparative analysis, Multi-level governance
in
Journal of European Public Policy
volume
17
issue
4
pages
545 - 563
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000277859600006
  • scopus:77952634918
ISSN
1350-1763
DOI
10.1080/13501761003673559
project
IMPACT
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1cd8d47b-ff4b-4e08-8d53-a5cabaac2c6b (old id 1503463)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:23:22
date last changed
2022-02-25 01:15:00
@article{1cd8d47b-ff4b-4e08-8d53-a5cabaac2c6b,
  abstract     = {{In this article we test current knowledge of policy implementation in multi-level governance systems and focus on the case of transport biofuels. The EU biofuel directive is a highly debated case with a disappointing implementation record. We probe a set of implementation hypotheses in a qualitative comparative analysis, offering a systematic comparison of ten member states between 2003 and 2006. The findings show that implementation of the EU biofuels policy is a complex phenomenon where combinations of causal conditions, and not single conditions, produces the outcome. We conclude that implementation is more likely when favourable conditions are present, in agreement with previous studies. Non-implementation, on the other hand, is explained by a dichotomy between the unable ¬ and the unwilling. The lack of willingness exposes to failure even the fittest national system.}},
  author       = {{Di Lucia, Lorenzo and Kronsell, Annica}},
  issn         = {{1350-1763}},
  keywords     = {{European Union; Transport biofuels; EU policy; Qualitative comparative analysis; Multi-level governance}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{545--563}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Journal of European Public Policy}},
  title        = {{The willing, the unwilling and the unable – explaining implementation of the EU Biofuels Directive}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13501761003673559}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13501761003673559}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}