European governance ranks high on the present research agenda on Europe and has attracted considerable attention in public debate. This book takes a special approach as it highlights the multi-faceted interconnectedness of EU and national governance that comes with public policy making in the European space. The volume is a selection from the research of leading European scholars. These scholars provide an insight into the current debate on European governance by using state-of-the art, theory-orientated empirical research. The individual chapters give evidence of the functioning and the deficiencies of the penetrated system of governance that has emerged within the European Union. The spreading of competence across different levels and multiple arenas has created a dense and complex network of trans-national negotiations, shifting attention and resources from the national to the European space. European governance puts national governments under considerable pressure to live up to the competing demands of efficient performance and democratic accountability.
