The Phenomenon of Multilevel Regulation: Interactions between Global, EU, and National Regulatory Spheres

Rules are no longer merely made by states, but increasingly by international organizations and other international bodies. At the same time these rules do impact the daily life of citizens and companies as it has become increasingly difficult to draw dividing lines between international, EU and domestic law. This contribution introduces the notion of ‘multilevel regulation’ as a way to study these normative processes and the interplay between different legal orders. It indicates that many rules in such areas as trade, financial cooperation, food safety, pharmaceuticals, security, terrorism, civil aviation, environmental protection or the internet find their origin in international cooperation. Apart from introducing multilevel regulation on the basis of a number of examples, the authors try to set out an agenda for further research, including legal and non-legal approaches.