EU Law and Regulatory Spaces

This book explores the evolution of EU economic law through an analysis of regulatory spaces in various fields of EU economic regulation.

Regulatory space, a concept used by Professor Leigh Hancher whose academic work this edited volume celebrates, is a metaphor that allows for a reconceptualisation of regulatory processes in EU economic law. It also calls for a critical reflection of the limits of law in regulating economic activity but also identifies public rulemaking and enforcement as just two means of governance.

This carefully selected selection of original contributions by leading experts in EU law, policy, and practice identifies the multiple regulatory spaces in areas such as competition policy, energy regulation, and State aid whereby organisational relationships, contestation, and negotiation among different public and private economic actors shape the contemporary EU regulatory landscape.

Contributors analyse the challenges of regulatory design and the fundamentals of regulatory reform, the role of regulatory agencies, the evolving regulatory space in emerging sectors, interactions of public and private authority in various policy domains, including digital platforms and energy regulation, and the impact of recent legal and political developments on the EU’s regulatory landscape.

Combining theoretical insight with practical analysis, EU Law and Regulatory Spaces is an essential resource for academics, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to understand the future trajectory of regulation and governance within the EU.