Decision-makers and commentators have drawn various lessons from the financial and resulting sovereign debt crisis that has dominated European politics at least since the fall of 2008. While the question of whether and how ‘more Europe’ in the form of new rules and regulations can help to prevent such crises in the future is still heatedly debated, it seems clear that – whatever rules are adopted - a stable polity needs effective ways to make those rules count, i.e. to ensure compliance. Therefore, research on compliance and implementation promises to hold relevant answers to pressing questions the EU is currently confronted with. 

Against this background, this panel focuses on new developments in the context of research on compliance and implementation in the EU. It tries to provide a platform for scholars eager to discuss potential for innovation and improvement in this line of research.

While the increasing number of studies on compliance and implementation research published over the last decade has provided a long list of factors and conditions potentially influencing member states reactions to supranational requirements, this list has remained fairly eclectic. More fine-grained conceptual and theoretical debates are needed to better understand when, where, and why compliance problems are to be expected. In consequence, this panel encourages scholars to present innovative research able to provide new insights, challenge, and complement existing research in this field. 

Innovative approaches to all aspects of compliance and implementation research are welcome. This includes the use of 'fresh' data, innovative theoretical approaches including explicitly the use of formal modeling techniques, as well as research presenting innovative conceptual approaches to studying compliance issues.

This way, the panel hopes to stimulate a debate over how to improve our knowledge with respect to patterns and dynamics of member state compliance in the EU.