Quantitative Impact Studies - A Pluralist Process?

Abstract: This study focuses on the implementation of the Solvency II directive, a very important policy for the insurance community in the European Union. Results from surveys included in the implementation process show that the process implied certain aspects which cannot be prescribed to the pluralist democracy that usually describes the European policy process. In order to analyze this process the dissertation is a case study which uses a qualitative text study. The primary material are reports published by European authority EIOPA which discuss the findings from five quantitative impact studies. Pluralist and elitist public policy theories are used as separate indicators to the analysis. The results from this analysis concluded the process to be of pluralist character in a later stage of the process, whilst the initial phases were rather elitist. This shows how the European policy process has different faces according to what policy you analyze.