Law without Borders? Extraterritorial Regulation and Unilateral Action

Key Takeaways

• US, China, EU expanding extraterritorial reach in digital and trade policy
• Multilateral institutions sidelined as unilateral sanctions become more common
• DGIR conference gathers scholars and practitioners to debate regulatory unilateralism
• Day two focuses on sanctions' impact on international conflicts
• Venue: Siemens Foundation, Munich, June 11‑12, 2026

Pulse Analysis

The past decade has seen major economies extend the reach of their domestic laws beyond borders, a trend that scholars label extraterritorial regulation. From the United States’ data‑privacy mandates to the EU’s digital services act, and China’s export‑control rules, governments are asserting authority over foreign firms that touch their markets. This unilateral approach bypasses traditional treaty‑based mechanisms, creating a patchwork of overlapping obligations that firms must navigate, and raising friction with countries that view such measures as infringements on sovereignty.

These developments pose a direct challenge to the post‑World‑War multilateral framework that underpins global trade and investment. As sanctions become a preferred tool for geopolitical signaling, and competition authorities pursue cross‑border enforcement, the risk of regulatory collisions escalates. Legal scholars warn that without coordinated dialogue, the proliferation of divergent standards could fragment supply chains, increase compliance costs, and erode trust in international institutions. The debate now centers on whether a new set of meta‑rules can emerge to harmonize extraterritorial actions while preserving national policy goals.

Against this backdrop, the German Society of International Law’s conference in Munich offers a timely forum for confronting these issues. Featuring contributions from academics in Mannheim, Berlin, and Zurich, alongside a practitioner keynote on the EU’s role in international economic law, the event aims to map the contours of unilateral regulation and its impact on sanctions and conflict. Attendees will gain insights into emerging jurisprudence, explore pathways for multilateral accommodation, and shape policy recommendations that could influence future treaty negotiations and regulatory cooperation.