The difficult harmonisation of EU policies: insights from the implementation of EU pesticide policy in Italy

Abstract

The EU pesticide policy is informed by a one-fits-all logic: scientific guidelines as well as procedural norms have been harmonised and centralised at EU level. Yet, member states have adopted very different institutional models to contribute to implementation. The paper provides an analysis of the institutional model in place in Italy and advances two main arguments. First, some of the features of the Italian model prevent national experts to fully contribute to EU common procedures; second, because of the harmonised nature of EU pesticide policy, inefficiencies at national level directly affect the overall capacity of the EU to achieve policy results. The paper concludes suggesting some potential directions for reform of the Italian system.