The EU Policy Process

Abstract

This chapter applies the well-established heuristic of the policy cycle to the policymaking process of the European Union (EU). Notably, the EU polity differs from states, which has significant implications on its policy cycle. To set the scene, the first part of this chapter provides an overview of the central polity traits that determine the unique features of the EU policy cycle. The subsequent sections review the basic features of-and some of the main research contributions on-the individual stages of the EU policy cycle. This chapter concludes with an evaluation of the changing power balances within and across the EU policy stages that suggest significant adaptations in EU policymaking and the EU’s role as a regulatory polity.