Corporatist and statist designs in environmental policy: The contrasting roles of Germany and Spain in the European community scenario

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Abstract
An analysis of environmental policy in terms of the pattern of relationship between government and industry reveals that although there are other influential groups in environmental politics (for example ecologists, parties, citizens' associations), government and industry play the leading role in a complex process that usually unfolds in somewhat secret meetings. The type of relationship between these two actors ‐ the institutional design ‐ differs from country to country: in Germany, the prevailing pattern is one of formal co‐operation, whereas in Spain, the government enjoys a prominent role to the detriment of industrial groups. Institutional designs are increasingly subject to dynamics of change ‐ the EC, for instance, is facilitating the rapprochement of government and industry in Spain in view of the need to implement Community law. Despite the influence of the EC, institutional designs have proven to be quite resilient. Therefore, the relevance of the EC has to be sought somewhere else, namely, in its functioning as a negotiating framework. The EC offers a scenario for debate among member states with opposing interests, and transmits environmental demands and practices from some countries to others. Also, this scenario clearly reflects the North‐South dilemma, or the conflict between countries with a self‐contained environmental policy and high ecological awareness (such as Germany), and countries with a backward policy and low ecological consciousness (such as Spain).

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