Policy transfer and adaptation of the European framework for action on cultural heritage : a case study of Malta

Abstract

Globalisation made the concept of policy transfer simpler and more efficient. Consequently, decision-makers and supranational organisations depend heavily on the transfer of policies. The main objective of this research is to study how the European Framework for Action on Cultural Heritage is being transferred and implemented in Malta. Following the European Year of Cultural Heritage in 2018, the EU aspired to scale up the success of this event by issuing a framework for action. Given it was the first body of policy in the EU that tackles cultural heritage policies, this European Framework received great attention. Hence, all Member States were pushed to transfer the Framework and develop a national action plan vis-à-vis the European Framework. Key Maltese cultural stakeholders were interviewed in a series of elite interviews as part of a qualitative deductive analysis through a case study. The main theoretical framework employed in this study was the policy transfer paradigm developed by Dolowitz and Marsh (2000). It resulted that the transference of the European Framework to Malta can be categorised as ‘inspiration’ since soft aspects of transfer have occurred. Mainly, pillars and the ethos behind the European Framework were transferred. The James (2010) ‘strategic-projection’ model of Europeanisation served as the basis for the adaption analysis. This study's ‘strategic-projection’ model of Europeanisation was founded on supranational learning. It also became clear that thorough consideration of the national context is crucial in ensuring that a transfer of a policy bears fruit.