The Internationalisation of Administrative Law: Balancing Universal Standards and the Particularities of National Legal Systems

Abstract

The article examines the internationalisation of administrative law as a response to globalisation and the growing influence of international and transnational governance. It explains how administrative law, traditionally rooted in national legal systems, is increasingly shaped by international organisations, regulatory networks, soft-law instruments, and principles of good governance. Common standards such as legality, transparency, accountability, public participation, procedural fairness, and the right to good administration are gradually gaining international recognition. At the same time, international regulatory processes may create concerns regarding democratic legitimacy, parliamentary oversight, judicial control, and the protection of individuals when decisions operate beyond traditional national legal frameworks.

The article argues that the internationalisation of administrative law should not result in the simple imposition of uniform global rules because administrative systems remain deeply influenced by national constitutions, legal traditions, institutional structures, political conditions, and local customs. The central challenge is therefore to reconcile universal administrative standards with national particularities. The authors favour a gradual and flexible process of alignment in which internationally recognised principles are adapted to domestic legal systems without undermining national autonomy. Such a framework should preserve legitimacy, legality, democratic compliance, stakeholder participation, and effective accountability while promoting greater coherence among national, regional, and international administrative systems.