Mutual transformation and the development of European policy spaces. The case of medicines licensing

Abstract: This article aims to come to grips with the complexity of the intertwined processes that explain the formation of European policy spaces. Three observations, covered by the 'mutual transformation' notion, guide the analysis: (1) influence among the levels composing the Union runs simultaneously from 'Brussels' to the lower levels, from the lower levels to the EU authorities, and from country to country; (2) sources of change are both exogenous and endogenous; (3) the nature of the policies under study and the issues and interests associated with them evolve over time, affecting the different level actors and their ties. The case of the formation of a European medicines licensing system here illustrates the usefulness of exploring this mutual transformation. We emphasize the role played in this sector by three closely interrelated social mechanisms: competition, co-operation, and the transformation of relations between expertise and policy-making.