The European Union and Digital LawPainos 1

This book introduces the concept of Technical Normative Power (TNP) to explain how the European Union (EU) transforms internal legal frameworks into external influence.

Over the past two decades, the EU has emerged as a global regulatory force in the digital age. As technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and generative artificial intelligence reshape modern life, the EU has responded with a legal model grounded in rights-based governance, institutional coherence, and judicial authority. This book focuses on two emblematic instruments: the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA). It examines how both EU legislation and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) work together to set global standards in data protection, AI governance, and digital rights. The EU’s ability to combine legal consistency, regulatory ambition, and market access has made it a key actor in shaping the global digital order. Structured in three parts, the book traces the evolution of EU digital regulation, analyzes the mechanisms of its legal and institutional architecture, and evaluates its impact on global governance.

This book will be of interest to scholars, students, and professionals in EU law, digital regulation, artificial intelligence, and the law of emerging technologies.