Evaluation of public consultations and citizens' participation in 2015 Better Regulation Agenda of the EU and the need for a deliberative e-rulemaking initiative in the EU. Issue 1 (1st January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Deligiaouri, Anastasia; Suiter, Jane
• Is Part Of: European politics and society. Volume 22:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 69
• Page End: 87
• Publication Date: 2021-01-01
• Subjects: Deliberative democracy -- e-rulemaking -- EU -- Better Regulation Agenda -- democratic deficit -- legitimacy -- legislative politics -- public consultation; Europe -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Europe -- History -- Periodicals; Europe -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; 320.9405
• DOI: 10.1080/23745118.2020.1718285
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2374-5118

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper connects and disentangles three interrelated concepts: citizens' participation; e-rulemaking (in a deliberative environment) and effective policymaking at the EU level. We critically evaluate public participation under the revamped 2015 'Better Regulation Agenda' by focusing on the public consultations tool; examining it through the lens of deliberative democratic legitimacy; and assessing its potential to be more deliberative following the legitimacy evaluation framework of Schmidt [2013. Democracy and legitimacy in the European Union revisited: Input, output and 'throughput'. Political Studies, 61 (1), 2–22]. The paper employs an innovative theoretical approach, which blends deliberative democracy, e-rulemaking with EU studies insights. Furthermore, it introduces a new legitimacy criterion we call 'functional legitimacy' which refers to an overarching principle and evaluative framework that should govern e-rulemaking initiatives from their design through implementation and evaluation. We examine the preconditions for e-rulemaking at the EU level on the principles of transparency, inclusiveness and evidence-based policymaking.