Research master thesis | Political Science and Public Administration (research) (MSc)
open access
One of the main discussions surrounding the evolution of decentralised agencies in the European Union deals with questions of autonomy. This thesis fulfils two purposes: first, it searches for...Show moreOne of the main discussions surrounding the evolution of decentralised agencies in the European Union deals with questions of autonomy. This thesis fulfils two purposes: first, it searches for empirical evidence for the claim that EU agencies develop a de-facto autonomy independently from their formal autonomy and institutional design. Second, it tries to explain the development of different levels of informal autonomy between decentralised agencies. Based on four case studies ranging over a decade of agency development, the paper discusses the factors influencing informal autonomy: conflicts between the agencies’ multiple principles or network and reputation building efforts by the agencies’ directors? To achieve this aim, the paper draws on EU documents, as well as interviews with officials in institutions, member states and agencies. In the end it seems that an agency’s level of autonomy is a result of lobbying and reputation building by its Executive Director, influencing in turn the relations between the principals both in- and outside the agency’s management board. However, these dynamics are also influenced by external events, such as the financial and economic crisis.Show less
