EU PEACE Funding: The policy implementation deficit

Colin Knox; Karl O'Connor; Markus Ketola; Paul Carmichael

doi:10.1002/epa2.1177

EU PEACE Funding: The policy implementation deficit

Colin Knox
, Karl O'Connor
, Markus Ketola
, Paul Carmichael

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

137 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This article explores the intersection of policy implementation, conflict/peacebuilding, and the role of the EU PEACE program in Northern Ireland (NI). Conflict societies see a great investment of external funds, attempting to promote conflict resolution. Specifically, this article analyses the fourth wave of such funding in NI to examine why the EU PEACE program has not fully brought about its intended policy outcomes. Using Matland's conflict‐ambiguity model of policy implementation, we identify how EU funds can be skewed to support local political interests. Simultaneously, the EU PEACE program continues to adhere to strict implementation criteria that makes little sense given the local context. Therefore, contrary to its objectives, the implementation of EU funding can compound rather than ameliorate divisions in postconflict NI. Instead of prescribing strict implementation criteria, EU policy could focus on improving the administrative capacity and discretion of local administration in devising locally relevant implementation strategies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	290-310
Number of pages	21
Journal	European Policy Analysis
Volume	9
Issue number	3
Early online date	26 May 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/epa2.1177
Publication status	Published online - 26 May 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
EU funding supports policies channeled through institutions and organizations that are highly motivated to translate external financial support from outside to serve local needs. When low‐ambiguity administrative implementation meets high‐conflict political implementation, resource allocation is likely to be skewed by local actors that leads, at best, to incomplete implementation and, at worst, misappropriation of the EU programs for alternative purposes. As one interviewee observed:

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. European Policy Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Policy Studies Organization.

Funding

Funding Information: EU funding supports policies channeled through institutions and organizations that are highly motivated to translate external financial support from outside to serve local needs. When low‐ambiguity administrative implementation meets high‐conflict political implementation, resource allocation is likely to be skewed by local actors that leads, at best, to incomplete implementation and, at worst, misappropriation of the EU programs for alternative purposes. As one interviewee observed: Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. European Policy Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Policy Studies Organization.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

EU Peace
Governance
Matland
Northern Ireland
Local Government
administrative capacity
European Union
policy implementation
Postconflict
postconflict

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10.1002/epa2.1177

European Policy Analysis - 2023 - Knox - EU PEACE funding The policy implementation deficit (1)Final published version, 382 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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EU PEACE Funding: The policy implementation deficit

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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