ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the proposition that cross-national comparative research provides opportunities for theory or policy testing which are not offered by purely national research, and that by this means comparative research can therefore make a distinctive contribution to the work of supranational or international agencies. The concept of policy analysis within cross-national comparative research is considered first, followed by an outline of the interests and responsibilities of certain supranational agencies and a discussion of selected planning procedures or policy instruments of supranational interest which have been or could be tested by such research. Reference is made primarily to the West European context and to the three major agencies with planning-related interests based there: the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Commission of the European Communities.
