The politics of practical implementation: reloading of information by competing coalitions in EU water governance

Abstract

More open European Union policies, such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD), are often shaped on the go. ‘Bottom-up’ feedback from the implementing agencies plays an important role. How this feedback influences ongoing policies is here conceptualized as ‘reloading’. The case for the reuse of water is presented. International coalition-building proved to be important in agencies’ strategic behaviour: a clear dichotomy between Northern and Southern member states is distinguished. The receptiveness of the European Commission, the openness of the European Union policies, and societal and political attention to the issue of reuse all explain the changes in water reuse policy.