Independent regulatory agencies have been flourishing in Europe from the 1990’s onwards, both at national and supra-national level. As time went by, these agencies have increasingly been working in networks, and even in networks of networks. One of the main drivers is the progress of the European integration, which necessitates a degree of harmonization and cooperation across national jurisdictions, not the least on cross-border issues and enforcement actions. Another one is the progressive enlargement of the mandate of regulators, which compels them to coordinate with regulatory bodies in charge of overlapping issues. A last one is the coming of age of the digital economy, as decisions of certain national authorities, from countries where key online platforms have their sits, have spillover effects on other EU jurisdictions. In this broader context, the efficiency and the legality of the network-based architecture of regulatory supervision implies a multi-level system of judicial control where the importance of the EU/national courts nexus should not be underestimated.
The day of the conference will be announced soon.
