Can a policy program influence policy change? The case of the Swiss EnergieSchweiz program

This paper investigates the interrelation of policy implementation and policy change by addressing the question of whether and how the Swiss energy program “EnergieSchweiz” influenced policy decisions. We discuss different ways in which a policy program may influence policy change: by negative and positive learning, by coalition building and by policy community building. Respective assumptions are tested in two case studies from the “EnergieSchweiz” program, which was in place from 2000 to 2010. We find that, while the policy program was not critical for the policy change itself, it nevertheless played a role as an agenda setter, as an initiator of learning processes as well as through its policy community. •We investigate how energy policy implementation impacts policy change.•We analyse the Swiss energy program “EnergieSchweiz” in place from 2000 to 2010.•Policy programs alone do not deliver policy change.•But they can influence it by agenda setting and by negative learning.•Expert networks have an influence if there are shared goals.