ICGI Research
ICGI’s research is embedded in the Faculty`s research programme and fits within the overall theme of integration of and interaction between legal orders: within our research we look at what the role of the law is and can be for future regulation of companies. We also look at the impact of globalisation on the way in which the legal and regulatory environments surrounding corporate operations should and can be organised, challenging the traditional function of the law and looking into the impact of other forms of regulation. This implies also looking at the role of various actors in shaping corporate regulation and the different levels at which corporate regulation can take place: EU, national level, by means of public-private initiatives etc. ICGI has four main research lines. These research lines each in turn relate to one or more research pillars of the Faculty of Law.
ICGI research lines
Company Groups and Global Networks
Team leaders: Mieke Olaerts & Anna Beckers
In a globalising world, providers of goods and services often operate in groups or global networks, using the same name and creating an image of unity. Their activities are complex to regulate as legal rules often only apply to individual companies forming part of a group or network. Stakeholders may be affected by their operations and regulators are increasingly looking for tools to ensure a responsibility of the group or network as a whole for certain important societal interests that transcendent the legal entity that forms part of the group or network. This development raises several questions, such as: in which situations should the group or network be seen as an economic unity? What legal or regulatory tools can be used to regulate group and network relations? What are the consequences of these developments for the internal governance of company groups and networks, i.e. the role of the board, shareholders and other stakeholders?
This research line focuses on how these issues can be addressed and how company groups and global networks can be regulated. Of particular interest in this research line is also the connection of groups/supply-chains to the overall research at ICGI on the relation between the corporation and its social and natural environment. Accordingly, the research questions regarding the ascription of responsibility in corporate groups and supply-chains also covers the issue of environmental and social responsibility of companies. Central to this research line are: i. the protection of stakeholders and ii. governance aspects of groups and networks. The research focuses on both the internal and the external dimension of groups and networks. The internal dimension relates to the relationship among the members within the group\network, whereas the external dimension concerns the relationship of the group\network vis a vis third parties such as the relevant stakeholders.
