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EU Outpaces U.S. in Legislation: 13,000 Acts Passed

12/4/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The European Union (EU) passed about 13,000 acts from 2019 through 2024, far more than the U.S. Congress, which produced about 3,500 laws in the same period.
The European Commission drives proposals to expand its powers, shaping an EU system that incentivizes legislation over vetoes.
Since the 2008 financial crisis, informal trilogues have become the norm, and private negotiations yield rushed decisions and drafting errors.

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Story summary

The European Union (EU) passed about 13,000 acts from 2019 through 2024, far more than the U.S. Congress, which produced about 3,500 laws in the same period.
The European Commission drives proposals to expand its powers, shaping an EU system that incentivizes legislation over vetoes.
Since the 2008 financial crisis, informal trilogues have become the norm, and private negotiations yield rushed decisions and drafting errors.