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Editorial: Access or Excess? Redefining the Boundaries of Transparency in the EU’s Decision-Making

Author

Listed:
  • Camille Kelbel

    (European School of Political and Social Sciences, Lille Catholic University, France)

  • Axel Marx

    (Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies, University of Leuven, Belgium)

  • Julien Navarro

    (ETHICS EA 7446, Lille Catholic University, France)

Abstract

Over the last decades, transparency has featured prominently among the European Union’s (EU) efforts to democratize and legitimize its governance. This shift toward transparency has taken many forms and, as the contributions to this thematic issue show, these different forms have evolved significantly over time. Yet, initiatives to enhance transparency have often been blamed for limiting the efficiency of the decision-making process or leading to suboptimal policy outcomes. Consequently, the debate has shifted to whether transparency would be excessive in that it would undermine the EU’s capacity to deliver through political arrangements. This editorial presents this transparency–efficiency dilemma, which the different contributions to this thematic issue analyse further.

Suggested Citation

  • Camille Kelbel & Axel Marx & Julien Navarro, 2021. "Editorial: Access or Excess? Redefining the Boundaries of Transparency in the EU’s Decision-Making," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 221-225.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:poango:v9:y:2021:i:1:p:221-225
    DOI: 10.17645/pag.v9i1.4291
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stéphanie Novak, 2013. "The Silence of Ministers: Consensus and Blame Avoidance in the Council of the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(6), pages 1091-1107, November.
    2. Vincent Caby & Lise Frehen, 2021. "How to Produce and Measure Throughput Legitimacy? Lessons from a Systematic Literature Review," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 226-236.
    3. Emanuele Rebasti, 2021. "Return to De Capitani: The EU Legislative Process between Transparency and Effectiveness," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 296-299.
    4. Benjamin Bodson, 2021. "To What Extent Can the CJEU Contribute to Increasing the EU Legislative Process’ Transparency?," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 272-280.
    5. Dirk De Bièvre & Patricia Garcia-Duran & Leif Johan Eliasson & Oriol Costa, 2020. "Editorial: Politicization of EU Trade Policy Across Time and Space," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(1), pages 239-242.
    6. Vincent Caby & Lise Frehen, 2021. "How to Produce and Measure Throughput Legitimacy? Lessons from a Systematic Literature Review," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 226-236.
    7. Maarten Hillebrandt, 2021. "EU Transparency as ‘Documents’: Still Fit for Purpose?," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 292-295.
    8. Maarten Hillebrandt, 2021. "EU Transparency as ‘Documents’: Still Fit for Purpose?," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 292-295.
    9. Vivien A. Schmidt, 2013. "Democracy and Legitimacy in the European Union Revisited: Input, Output and ‘Throughput’," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 61(1), pages 2-22, March.
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    11. William Dinan, 2021. "Lobbying Transparency: The Limits of EU Monitory Democracy," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 237-247.
    12. Emanuele Rebasti, 2021. "Return to De Capitani: The EU Legislative Process between Transparency and Effectiveness," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 296-299.
    13. Dirk De Bièvre & Patricia Garcia-Duran & Leif Johan Eliasson & Oriol Costa, 2020. "Editorial: Politicization of EU Trade Policy Across Time and Space," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(1), pages 239-242.
    14. Axel Marx & Guillaume Van der Loo, 2021. "Transparency in EU Trade Policy: A Comprehensive Assessment of Current Achievements," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 261-271.
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    16. William Dinan, 2021. "Lobbying Transparency: The Limits of EU Monitory Democracy," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(1), pages 237-247.
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