The Emergence of the Impact Assessment as a Governance Norm in Europe : Genesis, Diffusion, Actors

The article features special issues related to impact assessments in Europe by providing an historical introduction and an overview of impact assessment practices. The emphasis is put on the diffusion process of the strategic innovation of Impact Assessment in the European continent and on some thoughts on a possible path dependency regarding the development of impact assessment institutions. The study also reflects on the role of the different actors of the impact assessment process