Abstract
The procedures of soft law making by the European Commission are famously obscure, with researchers arguing more and more that these should be streamlined in the interest of transparency and legitimacy. Yet, little is known about how soft law is actually produced, which might create the impression that the Commission acts mostly alone, circumventing legitimate decision-making ways. The chapter unveils various intra and inter-institutional relationships at play in soft law creation, as well as complex dialogues with Member States and various stakeholders. These suggest that from performing as a ‘one-institution show’, the Commission actively engages with public and private actors when issuing its soft law. A deeper assessment of this engagement will enable more rounded conclusions with regards to the legitimacy of soft law.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Research Handbook on Soft Law |
| Editors | Mariolina Eliantonio, Emilia Korkea-aho, Ulrika Morth |
| Publisher | Edward Elgar |
| Chapter | 17 |
| Pages | 253-271 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781839101939 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978 1 83910 192 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 21 Nov 2023 |
Keywords
- soft law
- European Union (EU)
- European commission
