ABSTRACT
This concluding chapter summarizes the major findings of the book in light of the theoretical propositions of the Pull-and-Push Model. The comparative case studies challenge conventional approaches to non-compliance with European Environmental Law, which cannot account for the observed variations between Spain, an alleged southern laggard, and Germany, one of the northern leaders. The model is general enough to study compliance with European Law across different policy areas as well as with other forms of law beyond the nation state. The chapter considers the implications of the theoretical argument and the empirical findings for European environmental policy-making. The Pull-and-Push Model would expect the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union to exacerbate existing compliance problems with European Environmental Law. Like the Southern European member states, the Central and Eastern European candidate countries struggle with high policy misfit, limited implementation capacities, and low levels of societal mobilization in the adoption of the environmental acquis.
