Legal reactions of third countries to the extraterritorial effects of European Union economic law GUK

About the project

GUK 2026

Legal reactions of third countries to the extraterritorial effects of European Union economic law

Number of the project: UK/1288/2026

Responsible Investigator: Mgr. Tomáš Živčák

 

The project examines the legal responses available to third countries to the extraterritorial effects of European Union economic law. It is based on the observation that EU regulations in areas such as competition law, the digital economy, consumer protection, and environmental standards increasingly produce effects beyond the territory of the Union, impacting the legal systems of nonEU states. The project treats these effects as a given regulatory context and does not focus on their legitimacy, but rather on the legal reaction capacity of third states as autonomous legal actors. The main objective is to identify, systematise, and assess the legal instruments available to third countries under the existing contractual and multilateral legal framework, beyond mere implementation of EU law (the so-called Brussels Effect). The research focuses in particular on mechanisms arising from free trade agreements, WTO rules, and principles of public international law. Methodologically, the project relies on doctrinal legal analysis, treaty analysis, and a targeted comparative approach. The outcome will be a coherent analytical framework of legal responses by third states, offering both theoretical and practical contributions to EU and international economic law.