Aktörers access till EU:s policyprocesser

Sammanfattning: The following study is a qualitative study of how the food industry has influenced policymaking regarding the implementation of a sugar tax within the EU. Through Pieter Bowen’s theory of access, stakeholders’ access to Efsa has been analyzed and the authority’s critical resource has been identified, in order to understand how the authority provides it. The study shows, in accordance with the theoretical framework that the food industry had great access to Efsa through different ways. Therefore, it can be assumed that the industry has influenced Efsas risk assessment and risk analysis regarding sugar consumption. Since examining actors' access to an authority is fraught with problems, the study intends to be an alternative way of approaching the problem of lobbying, instead of using traditional lobbying theories. As Efsas risk assessment and risk analysis carries out an important part of the EU's food safety policy process, it can also be considered that the food industries influence on Efsa has an indirect impact on if the European Commission chooses to act in favor of a policy process.