Home >

Issues >

4/2024 >

Article

4 2024 SE_okladka_light

ISSUE: 4/2024

  • Volume 28
  • Number 4
  • 2024

Subscribe NEWSLETTER

Studia Europejskie –
Studies in European Affairs

ISSN: 1428-149X
e-ISSN: 2719-3780

Ccbync License

License

Articles published in the journal are under a Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial – No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Idub Logo

Publication co-financed by the University of Warsaw within the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” programme.

Czasopismo otrzymało dofinasowanie w ramach Programu „Inicjatywa Doskonałości – Uczelnia Badawcza”.

The De Jure “Brussels Effect”: Current Legal Trends in the EU’s Unilateral Regulatory Globalisation

Michał Bernat

Francesco Spera

Keywords:
 Brussels Effect Climate change EU Law Human Rights Internal Market Regulatory Power

Abstract

Anu Bradford employed the term “Brussels effect” to discuss the European Union’s ability to shape regulations and standards in the global marketplace through the EU’s own unilateral regulatory action. That theory has been built around the notion that while the EU exercises its regulatory powers not to actively shape legislative frameworks outside its borders but mainly to establish and enforce standards for its own internal market, third country businesses, for various reasons, follow suit and, moreover, eventually the EU policies spill over to third countries themselves. However, several legislative developments and trends in recent years point to, beyond mere internal market regulation, the EU’s more activist approach and a more ambitious agenda to impose its own policies and rules on foreign companies or even indirectly on third countries. Therefore, it is argued that the so-called “Brussels effect” extends more and more outside the EU, seeking to affect the behaviour of third country businesses, as well as the choices and policies of third countries, where the EU considers this necessary in order to also pursue the EU’s own global goals, such as protection of human rights, the management of climate change, combating the degradation of environment, mitigating the subsidisation of enterprises by states, or regulating AI. In that respect, a claim will be tested in the article which states that the internal regulation of the EU’s own market, once the primary goal of the EU regulatory agenda, has greatly decreased in importance or has even become secondary; it is now the promotion of European values, the protection of EU businesses (also against the competitive disadvantages they suffer due to the EU’s internal market rules) and the will to progress towards certain desired public effects at the global level that are mainly driving the most recent and most impactful EU regulations.

References

Arriola, C., Cadestin, C., Kowalski, P., Guilhoto, J.J.M., Miroudot, S. and van Tongeren, F. (2023) “Challenges to International Trade and the Global Economy: Recovery from COVID-19 and Russia’s War of Aggression against Ukraine”, OECD Trade Policy Papers. Vol. 265, pp. 1–53. DOI: 10.1787/5c561274-en.

Benedikter, R. (2023) “The New Global Direction: From «One Globalization» to «Two Globalizations»? Russia’s War in Ukraine in Global Perspective”, New Global Studies. Vol. 17(1), pp. 71–104. DOI: 10.1515/ngs-2022-0038.

Borrell, J. (2024) Europe Day 2024: “The Need of a Paradigm Shift for the EU”, EEAS, European Union External Action. Available at: https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/europe-day-2024-need-paradigm-shift-eu_en (Access 5.11.2024).

Bradford, A. (2020) The Brussels effect: How the European Union Rules the World. New York: Oxford University Press.

Cafruny, A. and Fouskas, V.K. (2024) “Ukraine, Europe, and the Re-routing of Globalization”, Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies. Vol. 26(1), pp. 1–22. DOI: 10.1080/19448953.2023.2197635.

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, OJ C 326, 26.10.2012, pp. 391–407.

Cirone, E. (2024) “L’AI Act e l’obiettivo (mancato?) di promuovere uno standard globale per la tutela dei diritti fondamentali”, Quaderni AISDUE. Vol. 2, pp. 1–20.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1441 of 10 July 2023 on detailed arrangements for the conduct of proceedings by the Commission pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 of the European Parliament and of the Council on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market, Official Journal L 177, 12 July 2023. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/1441/oj (Access 5.11.2024).

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1773 of 17 August 2023 laying down the rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards reporting obligations for the purposes of the carbon border adjustment mechanism during the transitional period, Official Journal L 228, 15 September 2023, pp. 94–195. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2023/1773/oj (Access 5.11.2024).

Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 declaring certain categories of aid compatible with the internal market in application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty, Official Journal L 187, 26 June 2014, pp. 1–78, applicable until 31 December 2026. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2014.187.01.0001.01.ENG (Access 5.11.2024).

Commission’s Notice on the recovery of unlawful and incompatible State aid, Official Journal C 247, 23 July 2019, pp. 1–23. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52019XC0723%2801%29 (Access 5.11.2024).

Commission’s press notice (2024) Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_24_1729 (Access 5.11.2024).

Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 of 20 December 2005 on the establishment of a FLEGT licensing scheme for imports of timber into the European Community, Official Journal L 347, 30 December 2005, pp. 1–6. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32005R2173 (Access 5.11.2024).

Council Regulation (EU) 2015/1589 of 13 July 2015 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Official Journal L 248, 24 September 2015. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2015.248.01.0009.01.ENG (Access 5.11.2024).

Directive (EU) 2024/1760 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on corporate sustainability due diligence and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 and Regulation (EU) 2023/2859, Official Journal L 2024/1760, 5 July 2024, pp. 1–58. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1760/oj (Access 5.11.2024).

Enqvist, L. and Naarttijärvi, M. (2021) “Administrative Independence under EU Law: Stuck Between a Rock and Costanzo?”, European Public Law. Vol. 27(4), pp. 707–732. DOI: 10.54648/EURO2021035.

Enqvist, L. and Naarttijärvi, M. (2022) “The Obligation and Sensitivity of Administrative Independence under EU law: Time for an updated Toolbox?”, REALaw.blog. Available at: https://wp.me/pcQ0x2-qc (Access 5.11.2024).

European Commission, Brussels, 19.02.2020 COM(2020) 65 final WHITE PAPER On Artificial Intelligence – A European approach to excellence and trust.

European Commission (2022) European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles | Shaping Europe’s digital future. Available at: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/european-declaration-digital-rights-and-principles (Access 5.11.2024).

European Commission (2024) Law enforcement and judicial cooperation. Available at: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/international-affairs/collaboration-countries/united-kingdom/law-enforcement-and-judicial-cooperation_en (Access 5.11.2024).

European Council (2020) General Secretariat of the Council. Conclusions – 1 and 2 October 2020. Available at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/45910/021020-euco-final-conclusions.pdf (Access 5.11.2024).

Eva, J. and Janka, P. (2021) “Promoting EU Values in International Agreements”, Juridical Tribune. Vol. 11(2). DOI: 10.24818/TBJ/2021/11/2.04.

Falkner, G. and Müller, P. (eds.) (2015) EU Policies in a Global Perspective: Shaping or Taking International Regimes? London: Routledge.

Falkner, R. (2005) “American Hegemony and the Global Environment”, International Studies Review. Vol. 7(4), pp. 585–599. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2486.2005.00534.x.

Garcia-Johnson, R. (2000) Exporting Environmentalism: U.S. Multinational Chemical Corporations in Brazil and Mexico. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.

Geradin, D. (2006) “The Development of European Regulatory Agencies: What the EU Should Learn from the American Experience”, Institutional & Transition Economics eJournal. Available at: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:155777264 (Access 5.11.2024).

Gotkowska, J. (2020) “USA – Germany – NATO’s Eastern Flank. Transformation of the US Military Presence in Europe”, OSW Centre for Eastern Studies. Available at: https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-commentary/2020-08-14/usa-germany-natos-eastern-flank-transformation-us-military (Access 5.11.2024).

Heidbreder, E.G. and Brandsma, G.J. (2018) The EU Policy Process in Ongaro, E. and Van Thiel, S. (eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of Public Administration and Management in Europe. London: Palgrave, pp. 805–821.

Iwuoha, J.C. and Jude-Iwuoha, A.U. (2020) “COVID-19: Challenge to SDG and Globalization”, Electronic Research Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. Vol. 2(3), pp. 103–115.

Lenaerts, K. (2020) “New Horizons for the Rule of Law Within the EU”, German Law Journal. Vol. 21(1), pp. 29–34. DOI: 10.1017/glj.2019.91.

Levi-Faur, D. (2008) Regulatory Governance in Graziano, P. and Vink, M.P. (eds.) Europeanization. London: Palgrave, pp. 102–114.

Luchtman, M. (2023) Setting the Scene: The Rise of EU Law Enforcement Authorities in Luchtman, M., Ligeti, K., and Vervaele, J.A.E. (eds.) EU enforcement authorities: punitive law enforcement in a composite legal order. London: Bloomsbury, pp. 7–31.

Majone, G. (ed.) (1996) Regulating Europe. London: Routledge.

Pech, L. (2022) “The Rule of Law as a Well-Established and Well-Defined Principle of EU Law”, Hague Journal on the Rule of Law. Vol. 14(2–3), pp. 107–138. DOI: 10.1007/s40803-022-00176-8.

Prakash, A. and Potoski, M. (2006) “Racing to the Bottom? Trade, Environmental Governance, and ISO 14001”, American Journal of Political Science. Vol. 50(2), pp. 350–364. DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-5907.2006.00188.x.

Prakash, A. and Potoski, M. (2007) “Investing Up: FDI and the Cross-Country Diffusion of ISO 14001 Management Systems”, International Studies Quarterly. Vol. 51(3), pp. 723–744. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2478.2007.00471.x.

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52022PC0453 (Access 5.11.2024).

Rabinovych, M. (2019) EU Free Trade Agreements as an Instrument of Promoting the Rule of Law in Third Countries: A Framework Paper in Bungenberg, M., Krajewski, M., Tams, C.J., Terhechte, J.P., and

Ziegler, A.R. (eds.) European Yearbook of International Economic Law 2019. Cham: Springer. No. 10, pp. 285–314.

Rabinovych, M. (2020) “The Rule of Law as Non-trade Policy Objective in EU Preferential Trade Agreements with Developing Countries”, Hague Journal on the Rule of Law. No. 12, pp. 485–509.

Radaelli, C.M. and Meuwese, A.C.M. (2009) “Better Regulation in Europe: Between Public Management and Regulatory Reform. Public Administration”, Public Administration. Vol. 87(3), pp. 639–654. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9299.2009.01771.x.

Regulation (EU) 2017/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for Union importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas, Official Journal L 130, 19 May 2017, pp. 1–20. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32017R0821 (Access 5.11.2024).

Regulation (EU) 2022/2560 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market, Official Journal L 330, 23 December 2022, pp. 1–45. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2560/oj (Access 5.11.2024).

Regulation (EU) 2023/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 establishing a carbon border adjustment mechanism, Official Journal L 130, 16 May 2023, pp. 52–104. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/956/oj (Access 5.11.2024).

Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation, Official Journal L 150, 9 June 2023, pp. 206–247. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32023R1115 (Access 5.11.2024).

Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2023 concerning batteries and waste batteries, Official Journal L 191, 28 July 2023, pp. 1–117. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj (Access 5.11.2024).

Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence and amending Regulations (EC) No 300/2008, (EU) No 167/2013, (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1139 and (EU) 2019/2144 and Directives 2014/90/EU, (EU) 2016/797 and (EU) 2020/1828 (Artificial Intelligence Act) (Text with EEA relevance).

Scott, J. (2009) “From Brussels with Love: The Transatlantic Travels of European Law and the Chemistry of Regulatory Attraction”, American Journal of Comparative Law. Vol. 57(4), pp. 897–942. DOI: 10.5131/ajcl.2008.0029.

Thomann, E. (2019a) Customization, Adaptive Implementation, and the “European Experience” in Customized Implementation of European Union Food Safety Policy. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 187–221.

Thomann, E. (2019b) Europeanized Solutions to Shared Problems? How Customization Affects Policy Outcomes in Customized Implementation of European Union Food Safety Policy. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 139–186.

Van Vooren, B. and Wessel, R.A. (eds.) (2014) The EU as a global legal actor in EU External Relations Law: Text, Cases and Materials. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1–33.

Vogel, D. (1997) Trading up: Consumer and environmental regulation in a global economy. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

White paper on levelling the playing field as regards foreign subsidies” of 17 June 2020 COM(2020) 253 final. Available at: https://competition-policy.ec.europa.eu/document/download/db1d05e0-e542-4abb-b609-12fe17f30b21_en?filename=foreign_subsidies_white_paper_en.pdf (Access 5.11.2024).

Wolf, M. (2019) “The future might not belong to China”, Financial Times. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/ae94de0e-0c1a-11e9-a3aa-118c761d2745 (Access 5.11.2024).

DOI: 10.33067/SE.4.2024.4

Download pdf

Language: English

Pages: 77-105

How to Cite:

Harvard

Bernat, M. and Spera, F. (2024) "The De Jure “Brussels Effect”: Current Legal Trends in the EU’s Unilateral Regulatory Globalisation". Studia Europejskie – Studies in European Affairs, 4/2024, pp. 77-105. DOI: 10.33067/SE.4.2024.4

APA
Chicago