Conclusion: Not So Soft Law
摘要
This chapter summarizes the findings and characterizes the judicial use of soft law as a relatively rare but increasingly relevant phenomenon for the judiciary and the wider administrative space. On the ground, soft law is not so soft after all. The chapter then highlights the book’s contributions in establishing courts’ use of soft law as an important aspect of the increasing complexity of EU law, in demonstrating the crucial role of national courts at all levels and judicial branches in EU integration beyond the well-researched preliminary ruling procedure, and in highlighting the interaction between judicial decision-making and governance structures. It suggests that the judicial use of soft law is part of a wider transformation of law and the role of the judiciary and is therefore likely to be here to stay, opening up several promising avenues for future research.