What determines influence? Assessing conditions for decision-making influence of interest groups in the EU

Abstract:

The influence of interest groups is an important question especially with regard to the role of interest groups for democratic decision-making. Research on EU interest intermediation still lacks analysis of what kind of influence and under which conditions interest groups actually exert influence. This article addresses the question of influence on the basis of an analytical model concentrating on the degree of conflict, structural conditions of interest exertion and the type of interest pursued. These factors are assumed to constitute crucial conditions for the degree to which interest groups manage to change legislative acts. On the basis of three case studies of decision-making in the fields of IT and transport in the EU, the article highlights the dominance of technical over directional influence and the crucial role of the decision-makers' initial interests.