"How ‘new’ environmental policy instruments (NEPIs) spread in the European Union: An analysis of the role of the EU in shaping environmental governance"

This paper examines how "new" environmental policy instruments (NEPIs) have spread within the European Union (EU) members rates and how the EU structure shapes the adoption of these instruments. The paper utilizes the policy learning and policy transfer literatures to examine how states learn, and how the EU intervenes in this learning process. The paper provides an empirical overview of how market-based instruments (eco-taxes and tradable permits), voluntary agreements and eco-labels have been introduced on both the EU level and within its member states. The paper presents new empirical findings of NEPI usage in four member states (Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, and UK).