EU member state responses to Agri-Environment Regulation 2078/92/EEC - towards a conceptual framework?

This paper analyses implementation of Regulation 2078/92/EEC (the 'Agri-env ironment Regulation') in two selected European Union (EU) member states: Sp ain as an example of a country that has been relatively slow to respond to the Regulation, and Germany which has been characterised by an enthusiastic response. Building on implementation theory, possible underlying factors i nfluencing differential responses to the Regulation will be discussed. More specifically, the paper will discuss the suitability of a conceptual model to explain policy implementation suggested by Winter (1990) [Winter, S., 1 990. Integrating implementation research. In: Palumbo, D.J., Calista, D.J. (Eds.). Implementation and the Policy Process: Opening up the Black Box. Gr eenwood Press, Westport, CT, pp. 19-38] as a basis for explaining the diffe rential implementation of agri-environmental policy among these member stat es. The paper argues that Winter's model is suitable for the analysis of th e agri-environmental policy implementation process at the national (and pos sibly local) level, but that the adaptation of the model may be difficult f or the analysis of a regulation that emanates from EU institutions. (C) 199 9 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.