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Growth Dependence in the European Union: Do the Treaties Prevent Transformational Change?

Myele Rouxel

International & Comparative Law Quarterly2026https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020589326101468article
ABDC A*
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Ecological economics research on limits to growth has demonstrated that high-income countries are unlikely to succeed in ‘making growth green’ or, in other words, decoupling economic growth from ecological impacts fast enough to bring human activity back within planetary boundaries. At the European Union (EU) level, a paradigm shift is difficult because the EU’s socioeconomic system is growth dependent: the continuation of economic growth is required to avoid significant psychological, social and economic harms. This article argues that the EU founding treaties entrench this growth-dependent model by constraining the policy reforms proposed by ecological economists to reduce the EU economy’s reliance on growth. It therefore contends that treaty reform is necessary if the EU is to sustain human wellbeing without continued economic growth. Nevertheless, the article also finds in the treaties a limited degree of flexibility towards policies that would constitute first steps in the direction of growth independence.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020589326101468

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@article{myele2026,
  title        = {{Growth Dependence in the European Union: Do the Treaties Prevent Transformational Change?}},
  author       = {Myele Rouxel},
  journal      = {International & Comparative Law Quarterly},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020589326101468},
}

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Growth Dependence in the European Union: Do the Treaties Prevent Transformational Change?

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

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