Images of Agency Governance in the European Union : Community institutions, autonomous administrative spaces, or multilevel network administrations?

Abstract

Diagnosis of the transformation of executive governance in Europe must incorporate the diverse dynamics of EU-level agencies. This paper conceptualises theoretically and explores empirically multiple images of governance of EU-level agencies. Based on a rich body of survey (N=265) and interview (N=29) data among three regulatory and four non-regulatory EU level agencies, the paper demonstrates that EU-level agencies primarily combine the roles as autonomous administrative spaces and multilevel network administrations. Hence, EU-level regulatory and non-regulatory agencies blend two models of governance. Moreover, the most important role observed among EU-level agencies is indeed as multilevel network administrations. Finally, this paper demonstrates that EU-level non-regulatory agencies score systematically higher on all governance dynamics compared to EU-level regulatory agencies. The role as a multilevel network administrator is thus more central to EU-level non-regulatory agencies, whereas the role as an autonomous administrative space is more paramount among the EU-level regulatory agencies.