Liberalisation and the pursuit of the internal market

Economic liberalisation operates both as functional process and disputed ideological touchstone within the pursuit of the EU’s internal market. This article evaluates liberalisation efforts to date, addressing both positive and normative perspectives. It considers the meaning of liberalisation; discusses the legal instruments that exist within EU law; suggests explanations for its prominence; and explores the extent to which ideologically-oriented understandings of such reforms are reflected in the resultant character of the internal market. In doing so, the article aims to identify and analyse the deeper implications of the recurrent use of liberalisation as a tool of economic integration within the EU.