EU regulation provides the framework for how all European business operates. Therefore it can set the terms for how thee businesses should be working for long term recovery. Businesses, particularly when they are scarred by a recession, will have short term aims such as survival or a quick boost in profitability. But chasing these aims at the expense of sustainable business models just creates the possibility that the same thing could happen again. This is where the EU can step in, and legislate so that businesses are obliged to operate in a way which will not harm the economy in the long term.

A business’s primary motivation is profitability. This is fine, until their methods to become profitable begin to impinge on other people’s rights. When businesses are harming their employees or the environment, an elected body has the obligation to step in and prevent this harm from occurring. This is what EU regulations are there to do. A potential short term boost in profitability is not enough of a benefit for the EU to not fulfil it’s obligations to its people and environment.