Table Of ContentSpringerBriefs in Political Science
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Jale Tosun
Risk Regulation in Europe
Assessing the Application of the
Precautionary Principle
Jale T osun
Mannheim Centre for European Social Research
University of Mannheim
Baden-Württemberg
Germany
ISSN 2191-5466 ISSN 2191-5474 (electronic)
ISBN 978-1-4614-1983-9 ISBN 978-1-4614-1984-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-1984-6
Springer New York Heidelberg Dordrecht London
Library of Congress Control Number: 2012949558
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Acknowledgments
This book originates from a graduate class on policy making in the European Union
that I taught in the winter term 2010/2011 at the University of Konstanz, Germany.
One of the liveliest discussions my students and I had centered on the issue of the
precautionary principle and how it is applied to European food safety standards.
Motivated by this stimulating intellectual experience, I decided to write down the
subjects we addressed in order to provide classes elsewhere the same basis for dis-
cussion. I thank my students for the inspiring sessions and their thought-provoking
comments on current political developments in the European Union. I am grateful
to Alexander Dietrich and Tim Roll for their valuable research assistance. In addi-
tion to that, I acknowledge the support (and patience) of Jon Gurstelle of Springer
US, who has made this project possible. Finally, I thank Meera Jagannathan for
skillfully editing the manuscript and Michael Dobbins for very helpful comments
on the concluding chapter. It goes without saying that I alone am responsible for all
remaining errors.
v
Contents
1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 1
Research Questions .................................................................................... 1
Empirical Focus ......................................................................................... 2
Theoretical Argument ................................................................................ 3
About the Cases ......................................................................................... 4
Structure of the Book ................................................................................. 5
References .................................................................................................. 6
2 Making and Changing Policies ............................................................... 9
Making Policies ......................................................................................... 9
Problem Definition and Agenda Setting ................................................ 9
Policy Drafting and Adoption ................................................................ 11
Policy Implementation ........................................................................... 12
Policy Evaluation ................................................................................... 12
Scientific Evidence in the Making of Policies ....................................... 13
Changing Policies ...................................................................................... 15
Defining Policy Change ......................................................................... 15
Explaining Policy Change ...................................................................... 18
Subsystem Adjustment Model ................................................................... 18
Agenda Setting and Policy Change ............................................................ 19
Changing Precautionary Policies ............................................................... 21
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 22
References .................................................................................................. 22
3 Review of the Regulatory Context .......................................................... 25
Introduction................................... ............................................................. 25
European Union: Actors, Institutions, and Decision Making .................... 25
Political System of the European Union ................................................ 26
Types of European Law ......................................................................... 30
Policy Making in the European Union ................................................... 30
Agenda Setting and Drafting ..................................................................... 31
Adoption .................................................................................................... 31
vii
viii Contents
Implementation .......................................................................................... 33
World Trade Organization .......................................................................... 33
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 36
References .................................................................................................. 36
4 Perspectives on the Precautionary Principle ......................................... 39
General Characteristics of the Precautionary Principle ............................. 39
Risk and Uncertainty .............................................................................. 40
Main Interpretations ............................................................................... 41
Application Through Policy Making ..................................................... 42
World Trade Organization’s Perspective .................................................... 43
European Union’s Perspective ................................................................... 45
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 47
References .................................................................................................. 48
5 Growth Hormones in Meat Production ................................................. 51
Characteristics of Growth Hormones ......................................................... 51
Regulatory Development ........................................................................... 52
Explaining the Regulatory Development ................................................... 55
Policy Launch ........................................................................................ 56
Policy Change ........................................................................................ 57
Drawing the Findings Together .............................................................. 60
Interpretation in Light of the Theoretical Model ....................................... 62
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 63
References .................................................................................................. 64
6 Cultivation of Genetically Modified Corn ............................................. 67
Characteristics of Genetically Modified Corn ........................................... 67
Regulatory Development ........................................................................... 68
Explaining the Regulatory Development ................................................... 74
Policy Launch ........................................................................................ 74
Policy Change ........................................................................................ 75
Drawing the Findings Together .............................................................. 77
Interpretation in Light of the Theoretical Model ....................................... 78
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 79
References .................................................................................................. 80
7 Stevia-Based Sweeteners as a Food Additive ......................................... 83
Characteristics of Steviol Glycosides ........................................................ 83
Regulatory Development ........................................................................... 84
Explaining the Regulatory Development ................................................... 87
Policy Launch ........................................................................................ 87
Policy Change ........................................................................................ 89
Drawing the Findings Together .............................................................. 91
Interpretation in Light of the Theoretical Model ....................................... 92
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 93
References .................................................................................................. 94
Contents ix
8 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 97
Answering the Research Questions ........................................................... 97
Application of the Precautionary Principle ............................................ 98
Changes in Precautionary Measures ...................................................... 99
Improving the Theory ................................................................................ 100
Future Research ......................................................................................... 101
References .................................................................................................. 102
