The ecology of EU competition law: A quantitative analysis of rule dynamics and rule stocks

Despite heated debate concerning the impact of the European Union (EU) on its member states, quantitative estimates of EU policy output remain scarce. In this study, we introduce a counting method that allows us to accurately determine the exact size of legal rules contained within EU competition law regulations. This counting method is embedded in an ecological approach, which posits that, apart from external pressures, an internal dynamic is a key driver of EU policy output. Overall, our findings indicate that the competition rule stock has increased drastically over time, and continues to do so, above and beyond the impact of external policy output drivers.