Keep your principals close, but your stakeholders closer: how agencies use stakeholders to bolster their authority

Joosen, M.C.; Verhoest, K.; Redert, B.; Bursens, P.

doi:doi:10.1080/13501763.2026.2627371

Regulatory agencies provide input in the policymaking efforts of their executive principals. While doing so, agencies test the political waters for proposed policies and collect insights by consulting with stakeholders in developing their proposals to principals. Engaging with stakeholders may give agencies the tools to improve the input they provide and enhance agencies' authority in the eyes of the principals that rely on them. This paper assesses how agencies' engagement with stakeholders affects their authority, specifically when convincing principals of their policy advice. We focus on the procedure of developing EU Implementing and Delegated Acts. We study whether 1) the kind of stakeholders that EU agencies have involved in developing their drafts and 2) how agencies' signalled responsiveness towards stakeholders affects how quickly the European Commission takes their drafts on board. Furthermore, 3) we show whether politicisation changes these effects. Our study contributes...Show moreRegulatory agencies provide input in the policymaking efforts of their executive principals. While doing so, agencies test the political waters for proposed policies and collect insights by consulting with stakeholders in developing their proposals to principals. Engaging with stakeholders may give agencies the tools to improve the input they provide and enhance agencies' authority in the eyes of the principals that rely on them. This paper assesses how agencies' engagement with stakeholders affects their authority, specifically when convincing principals of their policy advice. We focus on the procedure of developing EU Implementing and Delegated Acts. We study whether 1) the kind of stakeholders that EU agencies have involved in developing their drafts and 2) how agencies' signalled responsiveness towards stakeholders affects how quickly the European Commission takes their drafts on board. Furthermore, 3) we show whether politicisation changes these effects. Our study contributes to the literature on (EU) agency authority and reputation as we show whether ties with a broader stakeholder audience provide agencies with the tools to enhance de facto policymaking power. Furthermore, we contribute to the study of stakeholder engagement by showing what kind of engagement with stakeholders benefits public actors most.Show less

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Keep your principals close, but your stakeholders closer: how agencies use stakeholders to bolster their authority