The Impact of the Financial Crisis on EU Economic Governance: A Struggle between Hard and Soft Law and Expansion of the EU Competences?

Abstract

The EU’s crisis response of introducing stricter economic governance has broadened its scope of interference in national policies significantly. This triggers questions on the effectiveness and legitimacy of hard and soft governance in a multi-level setting. Based on two examples the article illustrates the changing role of law in a globalised world and the consequential tensions. It thus provides input to further explore the concept of global law.

Keywords

• EU governance
• industrial relations
• economic governance