Belgian organisations as members of European interest groups: What legitimacy for what purpose?

Defacqz, Samuel
(2016) 12th HEIRS Conference: National societal actors in a multilevel environment - from 1945 to the present — Location: Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve (21.April.2016)

Files

HEIRS_Defacqz_BelgianorganisationsasmembersofEIG.pdf
  • Closed Access
  • Adobe PDF
  • 150.94 KB
Request a copy

Details

Authors
Abstract
The aim of the paper is to understand why Belgian Civil Society Organisations (BCSOs) do perceive European interest groups (EIG) as legitimate and what for. European interest groups are understood as European umbrella associations – gathering together national or regional CSOs – representing their membership at the EU level. The paper proposes to explore legitimation channels mobilised by BCSOs to legitimate European umbrella organisations. The research objective is more exploratory than explanatory since the ambition is to open a path towards an innovative approach of legitimacy. This analysis of legitimacy is based on an empirical or ‘positive’ approach, as opposed the normative approach usually mobilised by interest groups studies. The exploratory findings are based on qualitative analysis of comprehensive interviews with key players of 17 Belgian organisations member of EIG – selected on the basis of the stakeholders consultation of the 'fitness check' of the Nature Legislation driven by the European Commission during spring 2015.
Affiliations

Citations

  • APA
  • Chicago
  • FWB

Defacqz, S. (2016). Belgian organisations as members of European interest groups: What legitimacy for what purpose? 12th HEIRS Conference: National societal actors in a multilevel environment - from 1945 to the present, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/63925