Policy entrepreneurship in the European Parliament: reconsidering the influence of rapporteurs

Rapporteurs have been widely recognized as influential agents within the European Parliament (EP). But under what conditions are they really able to wield influence? Linking two strands of literature largely isolated from each other, this article considers both formal and informal agenda-setting resources to address this question. Formal agenda-setting stresses the role of institutionally defined prerogatives and constraints. Informal agenda-setting offers a meaningful link to the multiple streams framework (MSF), which attributes causal power to agency, ideas and timing. A case study on the EU chemicals regulation REACH illustrates the interdependence of institutional and ideational factors in policy entrepreneurship.