UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD B. - FACULTY OF LAW - MADE IN EUROPE' OR 'MADE TO MEASURE'? THE LEGAL FAULT LINES OF THE INDUSTRIAL ACCELERATOR ACT

THE INDUSTRIAL ACCELERATOR ACT SEEKS TO STRENGTHEN EUROPE’S MANUFACTURING CAPACITY THROUGH ‘MADE IN EUROPE’ PREFERENCES, YET ITS LEGAL ARCHITECTURE REMAINS FRAGILE. THE DEFINITIONS OF ORIGIN, THE COMMISSION’S BROAD DISCRETION, AND THE COUNCIL’S NEW ‘PARTNER ORIGIN’ COMPROMISE INTRODUCE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEXITY AND EXPOSURE UNDER INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW. WHILE THE POLITICAL IMPERATIVE TO REDUCE STRATEGIC DEPENDENCIES IS SOUND, THE LEGAL RESILIENCE OF THE PROPOSED FRAMEWORK IS UNCERTAIN. WITHOUT CLEARER PARAMETERS, THE IAA RISKS BECOMING A MEASURE MORE ASPIRATIONAL THAN OPERATIONAL.