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Changing Policy Environments in Europe and the Resilience of the Third Sector

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Ulla Pape Open the ORCID record for Ulla Pape [Opens in a new window] ,
Taco Brandsen Open the ORCID record for Taco Brandsen [Opens in a new window] ,
Joachim Benedikt Pahl ,
Bartosz Pieliński Open the ORCID record for Bartosz Pieliński [Opens in a new window] ,
Danijel Baturina Open the ORCID record for Danijel Baturina [Opens in a new window] ,
Nadia Brookes Open the ORCID record for Nadia Brookes [Opens in a new window] ,
Rafael Chaves-Ávila Open the ORCID record for Rafael Chaves-Ávila [Opens in a new window] ,
Jeremy Kendall Open the ORCID record for Jeremy Kendall [Opens in a new window] ,
Jelena Matančević  and
Francesca Petrella
...Show all authors
Ulla Pape*
Affiliation:
Otto Suhr Institute of Political Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Taco Brandsen*
Affiliation:
Institute for Management Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Joachim Benedikt Pahl*
Affiliation:
Institut für Politikwissenschaft, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
Bartosz Pieliński*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
Danijel Baturina*
Affiliation:
University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Nadia Brookes*
Affiliation:
Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent, Kent, UK
Rafael Chaves-Ávila*
Affiliation:
IUDESCOOP and Department of Applied Economics, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
Jeremy Kendall*
Affiliation:
School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Kent, UK
Jelena Matančević*
Affiliation:
University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Francesca Petrella*
Affiliation:
CNRS, LEST, Aix-Marseille University, Aix-en-Provence, France
Christina Rentzsch*
Affiliation:
Institut für Politikwissenschaft, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
Nadine Richez-Battesti*
Affiliation:
CNRS, LEST, Aix-Marseille University, Aix-en-Provence, France
Teresa Savall-Morera*
Affiliation:
IUDESCOOP and Department of Applied Economics, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
Ruth Simsa*
Affiliation:
Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria
Annette Zimmer*
Affiliation:
Institut für Politikwissenschaft, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
*
ulla.pape@fu-berlin.de
t.brandsen@fm.ru.nl
jpahl_01@uni-muenster.de
b.pielinski@uw.edu.pl
danijel.baturina@pravo.hr
N.K.Brookes@kent.ac.uk
Rafael.chaves@uv.es
J.Kendall@kent.ac.uk
jelena.matancevic@pravo.hr
francesca.petrella@univ-amu.fr
christina.rentzsch@uni-muenster.de
nrichezbattesti@wanadoo.fr
Teresa.savall@uv.es
Ruth.Simsa@wu.ac.at
zimmean@uni-muenster.de
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Abstract

In the article, we analyse the impact of changing policy environments on the development of the third sector in Europe. Based on the results of systematic comparative research in eight European countries (Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK), we identify commonalities and differences. In a three-step analysis, we examine policy changes, effects on the third sector and responses by third sector organizations (TSOs) in the social domain. Overall, the third sector in Europe has proven resilient. However, not only have public and private funding decreased, the process for acquiring such funding has become more demanding for TSOs, as have requirements to be accountable. There are signs of a proliferation of more market-based, hybrid organizations. Despite this general trend towards marketization, the impact of policy changes varies across Europe with TSOs being better equipped to adapt and survive in countries where collaborative ties between the state and the third sector have traditionally been strong.

Keywords

Non-profit organizationsWelfare stateSocial servicesGovernanceCivil society

Information

Type
Original Paper
Information
Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations , Volume 31 , Issue 1 , February 2020 , pp. 238 - 249
Copyright
Copyright © International Society for Third-Sector Research and The Johns Hopkins University 2019

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