Why Europe Should Harden Its Soft Power to Lawfare

EU law has lost its shine as the legal gold standard. The so-called Brussels effect – the impact of EU law on its neighbours and global corporations operating in the single market, has been waning for years. Nowadays, its effect is mostly felt in anti-trust law, or in the chemicals directive or the General Data Protection Regulation.

Covid-19 has sharpened Sino-American rivalry and accelerated the trend towards deglobalisation and a new cold war. Hope is fading that the EU on its own could set world standards on the ethical use of AI or rules on decarbonisation. To defend its interests in the international arena, the EU should consider more hard-nosed ways of instrumentalising the power of law.