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Theorising Bounded Rationality in EU Policy‐Making

Bibliographic Data

ID6281776
AuthorsFilipa Figueira (0000-0002-2987-011X, University College London (UCL) London, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume63
Issue4
Pages1298-1317
Publication date2025-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJCMS Journal of Common Market Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-9886 • E-ISSN: 1468-5965
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/jcms.13704
OpenAlexW4404014633
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited60

This article proposes a theoretical framework combining multi‐level governance (MLG) with bounded rationality. MLG theories have become increasingly popular to understand European Union (EU) policy‐making and interactions between national, sub‐national and EU levels. At the same time, principles of bounded rationality are entering the public policy debate, highlighting the role of cognitive biases in policy formation. However, these two developments have been separate, as bounded rationality has been little used in EU studies. The article therefore proposes a framework integrating the two lenses. This sheds new light on the optimal allocation of tasks between EU and national levels, given the prevalence of different cognitive biases at each level. Findings are that EU‐level policy‐making can be hampered by availability heuristics and undefined preferences, whilst national policy‐making is prone to zero‐sum bias and myopia. Insights are applied to research policy as an example, helping to explain obstacles to EU integration in this area

Bounded function · Bounded rationality · Economics · Mathematical analysis · Mathematical economics · Microeconomics · Policy making · Political science · Positive economics · Public economics · Rationality · European Union Policy and Governance · Law · Mathematics · Policy Transfer and Learning · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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Unique citing works1
Citations per year1
Citation span2025 - 2025 (1)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 1

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