infonet-economy

This contribution proposes a decentred conceptualization of Euro- pean Union (EU) international influence based on the external ramifications of its internal policies. It views the EU’s international role less as that of an emerging unitary actor than as conglomerate of loosely coupled sectoral regimes expanding their prescriptive scope towards third countries in differentiated ways. Combining conceptual approaches to (EU) power with empirical – analytical research on external governance and policy diffusion, the contribution defines the mechanisms of regu- latory extension, specifies their scope conditions, and highlights the role of transgo- vernmental networks, often involving international organizations, in ‘co-opting’ third country regulators into EU policies.