Governance as contested logics of control: Europeanized meat inspection regimes in Denmark and Germany

Abstract

The term governance has been used in many contexts and meanings. This paper assesses three logics of control widely associated with governance, namely multi-level governance, the regulatory state and performance management. It questions to what extent these logics are present, are reinforcing or are mutually self-destructive in their effects. This paper explores the field of meat inspection as a critical aspect of the Europeanized food safety regime and concentrates on the cases of Denmark and Germany. The paper concludes that the three logics of control's effects are interactive and that, far from being mutually reinforcing, the various logics are mutually self-destructive and destabilizing.

Keywords:

• Control
• food safety
• governance
• multi-level governance
• performance management
• regulatory state

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful to the three JEPP referees for their comments and criticisms.

Notes

Staff number increased from 74 in 1997 to 163 in 2009. Among these 81 were inspectors who participated regularly in inspection missions.

The number of missions in EU member states and third countries has shown an increase over time, from 196 for 1998/99 to 255 in 2006 (FVO Annual Reports, available at http://ec.europa.eu/food/fvo/annualreports/index_en.htm (accessed 19 October 2010)).

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/food_safety/veterinary_checks_and_food_hygiene/index_en.htm (accessed 2 June 2010).

Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung and Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit.

Across national systems, the risk policy trend faced considerable resistance among food inspectors who regarded themselves as a largely autonomous profession (mostly veterinarians).