EU Regulation of Leisure - the Public Politics of Private Activities

Abstract

Much attention has been given to the growth of EU regulation of economic markets. But, how does EU regulation develop in sectors that are both economic and also have strong cultural and social aspects? Leisure activities such as sport, gambling, tourism or audiovisual services represent growing economic sectors in Europe- indeed, they are seen as industries of the future. But they are also strongly linked to cultural issues, such as preserving European heritage, promoting certain values, ensuring diversity or protecting ‘beauty’. They bring up important questions of ‘the common good’, such as protecting individuals or morality from private gain or self-harm. Conversely, they can be part of movements to use public policies to improve and widen citizens’ education and appreciation. They can involve important issues about community and identity, both as social activities and through offering expressions of identity- local, regional, national as well as European. Hence they can raise many regulatory issues that go beyond market power. They have also traditionally been the preserve of non-EU levels of government. How has EU regulation of such sectors developed? Has it focused simply on competition or has it used other criteria and values? How has it sought to include ‘public interest’ aims and if so, how has it defined such aims? These questions allow us to engage with both literatures on EU policy making and regulation and also studies of ‘the public interest’ in regulation.

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