Comparative (and geometric) models of European policy coordination

Abstract

This contribution addresses, from a comparative perspective, the topic of inter-ministerial coordination of European policies, adopting a polythetic classification based on a plurality of parameters, including the location of the mechanisms for coordination, as well as the establishment of a specific Ministry for European affairs. The taxonomy is explained through the use of a straight line, on which different points correspond to each “pure” model, while on the segments the author places the real systems adopted throughout the Member States. The article also tests the theories elaborated by political scientists on the evolution of coordination systems, checking their (partial) transposition into legal sources. Recalling the essential results of the stress test that occurred with the economic crisis on the performance of national administrations, with particular reference to their resilience, the text lays the foundations for an assessment of the coordination of European policies in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.