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This case-study is based upon research by Prof Michael Dougan and Dr Michael Gordon (both members of the Liverpool European Law Unit) undertaken between 2008 and 2013. That work critically assesses a series of interlinked EU constitutional reforms, and their impact upon the EU's relationship to its Member States, with particular reference to the UK experience: first, the interpretation and implementation of the Lisbon Treaty 2007; secondly, the design and implications of the European Union Act 2011; thirdly, Britain's legal and political reception of the 2012 "Fiscal Compact" Treaty. The research's principal impacts have occurred within the period 1 January 2008 to 31 July 2013. They consist in providing a wide range of high-level institutional actors (including the European Court of Justice, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the House of Commons) with an objective and thorough critical evaluation of those major constitutional developments, so as directly to inform and assist their policy deliberations (including specific recommendations based directly on the research) on issues of fundamental importance to the future interests of the EU and the UK.
The global financial crisis led the European Union (EU) to diversify its sources for the EU Budget, including co-financing instruments with multilateral development banks. Dr Robinson's research addressed key concerns about financial risk and the lack of transparency created through such partnerships. His research has been recognised as improving the understanding of these complex instruments within EU institutions and its impact may be measured through the implementation of several of its key recommendations. These include the creation of the `EBRD Representative for EU affairs' within a participating bank, the acceleration of EU co-financing strategy, and the unprecedented action of the EU Court of Auditors including the banks in their auditing process.
Research on participation in governance and related policy instruments, with a particular focus on interest organisations and groups, with strategic orientation of research publications towards impact, and evidence of use at the highest level in public policy reviews and public discourse/debate, as well as deliberations of advocacy groups.
Professor Martin Dangerfield's research has focused on subregional cooperation in post-Cold War Europe with special emphasis on interactions with broader European integration processes. Its significance was acknowledged by policy-making communities at national, subregional and EU level. Dangerfield was appointed to advisory roles in events that both debated and informed public policy and enhanced public awareness. These concerned multilateral foreign policy cooperation of new EU members, namely the Visegrad Group (VG), and conception, design and implementation of a major EU initiative — the `Macro-Regional Strategy'. Dangerfield's work has also been cited widely in relevant non-academic publications produced for policy analysis and to deliver recommendations.
This case study focuses on the development of the European Union (EU) as a global political/security actor, particularly regarding the dynamic relationship between institution-building, strategic thinking, and policy performance. The impact involves the influence of Professor Michael E. Smith's research on EU foreign/security policy on current policy debates about the EU's future as a global actor, and on the broader issue of the EU's purpose in world politics. The EU is currently considering ideas about how to reform its ambitions in this area in light of the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon, providing a major opportunity for Smith's work to have an impact.
Research on the management and implementation of EU Cohesion policy has informed the legislative proposals made in 2011 by the European Commission for the reform of Cohesion policy. It has also influenced some organisational changes within the Commission introduced in early 2013. EU Cohesion policy is the second largest area of expenditure in the EU budget, currently worth c. €347bn for the 2007-13 period, and provides funding for regional socio-economic development programmes in all EU Member States. The legislative proposals influenced by the Strathclyde research affect every national, regional and local authority in the EU benefiting from EU Structural and Cohesion Funds.
The impact arises from high quality analysis and evaluation of governance practices — ]especially those linked to diplomacy at the national, European and international levels. It centres on research carried out by Professor Brian Hocking at Loughborough University between 2005 and 2013, which has produced important studies of change and innovation in diplomatic process. These projects have involved close contact with diplomats and other government/EU officials, as well as dissemination to civil society organisations and students in a variety of contexts, and they have been influential in shaping debates about the future of diplomacy and training of diplomats in the EU, Australia and Canada particularly.
A major survey of the European Commission (2008-10), carried out by an international team coled by John Peterson, has had three forms of impact. It has enabled senior managers across the Commission to gain a detailed and systematic understanding of the backgrounds, motivation and attitudes of Commission officials, knowledge which is being drawn on to inform Human Resources policies, staff training and management of reform. Secondly, the research has informed the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office's EU recruitment strategy. Thirdly, it has helped officials in the Scottish Government better understand how to engage with the Commission.
The University of Bath has undertaken extensive research on the conduct of the tobacco industry (TI) and its influence over public policies.
This research has (a) significantly extended understanding of TI influence, by showing that the TI not only attempts to influence public health policies, but also enjoys significant influence over upstream policies; (b) provided some of the best documented examples of corporate influence over EU policy-making, raising concerns about transparency in policy-making; and (c) increased awareness that regulatory reforms known as Better Regulation may pose a threat to public health.
The key impact of this research, from 2008, is that it has reduced the ability of the TI to influence public health policy. This has been achieved by contributing to the development and implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the WHO's first global health treaty. These impacts involved work with beneficiaries including WHO and a variety of NGOs and by increasing awareness among policy makers of TI influence.
Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable mortality globally, accounting for almost 6 million deaths annually. The potential for health gain is therefore very significant. This research has had a substantial and demonstrable impact in securing this.
This case study shows how high quality research into the key problems in communicating the European Union and its ideas and policies, together with the interactions of the researchers involved with politicians, media personnel and officials, had a significant impact on how the EU communicates with its citizens. Between 2008 and the present the resulting identifiable impacts have included a significant on-going contribution to the thinking that has occasioned major reforms in the press and information policy of the European Parliament. Key recommendations of the UoA's research have become the practice of the Parliament.