The Juridification of the Policy Process

Abstract

The influence of the ECJ has not only made itself felt on the structures and policies of the Community; it has also affected the behaviour of, and relationship between, the principal actors in the Community political system. Its influence at this level is a natural corollary to what has been examined above. Community institutions, national authorities, interest groups and private parties have all learnt — sometimes to their cost — that the Court is a force to be reckoned with and that legal parameters must form an integral part of their analyses. It is therefore natural for all participants in the European policy process to try to integrate these into their policy strategies. Legal recourse henceforth forms a part of the arsenal by which these groups attempt to promote their particular interests.