The Presence of No Learning in Greece
摘要
This chapter investigates the concept of “no learning” in policy processes through the lens of Greece’s engagement with EU soft law instruments, specifically the Open Method of Coordination (OMC). It identifies four key factors contributing to the absence of policy learning: the bureaucratic treatment of EU soft law reporting, the limited impact of OMC tools like National Strategy Reports and peer reviews, weak collaboration between civil society and the administration, and the constraining effects of external pressures such as the Memoranda of Understanding during Greece’s economic adjustment programs. The findings reveal that EU soft law instruments were often reduced to routine bureaucratic exercises, with limited evidence of knowledge acquisition or application. Additionally, administrative fragmentation, poor monitoring mechanisms, and a lack of meaningful civil society engagement further obstructed learning. The chapter concludes that the absence of learning reflects systemic administrative and political constraints, highlighting the challenges of fostering effective policy learning in multilevel governance contexts.