Axe 1 - Democracy, Regulation, and Legitimacy

This first axis examines the relationship between regulation and legitimacy of the European Union and is more broadly interested in the processes of (de)legitimization of the EU and their challenges. While it is generally accepted that so-called better regulation practices improve the quality of public policies and strengthen their social acceptance, some research points out that, paradoxically, such practices influence a process of depoliticization of European issues.

Combining legal and political approaches, research conducted in this area examines in particular border regulation in a context of free movement of goods and people, participatory governance practices and the transformations of Economic and Monetary Union.

It is also interested in the representations of Europe, particularly through the "stories" that its judges make of it, as well as its action from the point of view of the citizens themselves, for example with young people in Brussels.

Continuing the work previously carried out within the framework of the ARC "Europeanization of Law, Public Action and Social Standards (2008-2012)", the collective research "European Tools and Belgian Social Policy (ETOS.be) (2005-2008)", and the ARC "Why Regulate ? Regulation, Deregulation and the Legitimacy of the EU" (2013-2018), this first axis also makes it possible to return more broadly to the theme of European governance on the occasion of conferences, seminars and colloquia.

Director: Antoine BAILLEUX, Florence DELMOTTE, Denis DUEZ, Hugues

DUMONT & François VAN DER MENSBRUGGHE