What Happens in Brussels Does Not Stay in Brussels
Regulatory Intentions and Global Effects of EU Regulation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46282/syeul.2026.4.1493Keywords:
global challanges, EU law, intention of the EU regulator, Brusself Effect, extraterritorial effectsAbstract
This paper examines how the European Union (EU) addresses selected global challenges through its legal order, and the extent to which EU law achieves global reach beyond its territorial borders. Starting from the premise that global challenges must first be incorporated into “EU challenges,” the analysis explores how issues of global concern are brought within the scope of EU regulatory action through the competences conferred on the Union. The analysis focuses on selected regulatory responses in the fields of digital regulation, environmental protection and competition law, which serve as illustrative rather than exhaustive examples of how EU law addresses challenges of a global character. The paper further analyses the intention of the EU regulator when adopting such measures, distinguishing between expressed and non-expressed objectives of global regulation. It demonstrates that in certain cases—such as the GDPR, DSA, AI Act and EUDR—the intention to influence the behaviour of third-country actors is explicitly reflected in the recitals and provisions of the legislation, while in contrast, in instruments such as the DMA, EUTR and EU competition law, global effects arise implicitly from the protection and functioning of the internal market. In its second part, the paper identifies two principal mechanisms through which EU law achieves global reach. First, particular emphasis is placed on the de jure Brussels Effect, whereby third countries adopt or align with EU regulatory standards. Second, the extraterritorial reach of EU law, primarily through territorial extension, enables EU rules to apply to conduct with a sufficient connection to the internal market. In this context, the paper distinguishes between expressed and non-expressed extraterritoriality. It concludes that the EU operates as a global regulatory actor by shaping access to its internal market, positioning EU law as a benchmark for global standards.
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