The divide in the EU green taxonomy: how conflict impacts the quality of policy advisory systems

Abstract

The second wave of research on Policy Advisory Systems (PAS) dynamics has induced scholars to rethink the received knowledge about the insider–outsider and technical–political divides in policy advice, leading to more nuanced descriptions of PAS configurations. The long-term structural change of PAS has been the focus of this research agenda. In contrast, a research gap exists in analyzing the role of disagreement and conflict in shaping the configuration of advisory systems and their interactions with policymakers. We analyze a case of conflict in the policy advisory system supporting the European Commission in defining the EU Green Taxonomy, i.e., the classification of economic activities that underpins the new EU regulation of public and private sustainable investments. The dynamic effect of conflict is particularly evident in the case of the EU Green Taxonomy, where opposing values and interests have shaped the advisory process, raising questions about how policymakers navigate and utilize contested advice. Our findings contribute to understanding the relationship between pluralistic and conflictual advisory systems and government management of PAS.