Policy instruments and modes of governance in environmental policies of the European Union: past, present and future

This report reviews the trends in EU policy instruments and governance modes. Prior to discussing these thereport provides definitions for and describes a typology for governance modes and policy instruments. Thereport identifies three major trends in policy instruments and policy modes of the EU based on the availableliterature and a quick scan of five EU environmental directives, regulations or policies (Habitats Directive,Renewable Energy Directive, Timber Regulation, Water Framework Directive & Common Agricultural Policy).The trends are: a move from strict compulsory settings to due diligence in new legislation, a move fromregulatory to networking, information based instruments and knowledge instruments and an increasingreliance on self-governance.