Corporate coalitions and policy making in the European Union

Katherine Elizabeth Smith, Gary Fooks, Anna B. Gilmore, Jeffrey Collin, Heide Weishaar

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Citations (Scopus)
27 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Over the past fifteen years, an inter-connected set of regulatory reforms, known as Better Regulation, has been adopted across Europe, marking a significant shift in the way European Union (EU) policies are developed. There has been little exploration of the origins of these reforms, which include mandatory ex-ante impact assessment. Drawing on documentary and interview data, this paper discusses how and why large corporations, notably British American Tobacco (BAT), worked to influence and promote these reforms. Our analysis highlights: (i) how policy entrepreneurs with sufficient resources (such as large corporations) can shape the membership and direction of advocacy coalitions; (ii) the extent to which ‘think tanks’ may be prepared to lobby on behalf of commercial clients; and (iii) why regulated industries (including tobacco) may favour the use of ‘evidence-tools’, such as impact assessments, in policymaking. We argue a key aspect of BAT’s ability to shape regulatory reform involved the deliberate construction of a vaguely defined idea that could be strategically adapted to appeal to diverse constituencies. We discuss the theoretical implications of this finding for the ‘Advocacy Coalition Framework’, as well as the practical implications of the findings for efforts to promote ‘transparency’ and public health in the EU.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)325-372
Number of pages48
JournalJournal of Health Politics, Policy and Law
Volume40
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2015

Keywords

  • better regulation
  • tobacco industry
  • corporate policy influence
  • evidence
  • British American Tobacco (BAT)
  • policy
  • industry regulation

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