SoLaR had the goal to determine whether and how soft law is used by national administrations when implementing EU policies and by national courts when ruling in cases falling within the scope of application of EU law. It is an empirical, comparative law analysis, consisting of documentary case law research and interviews with judges and civil servants, carried out in a representative selection of legal systems (Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Slovenia and the UK) and of policy areas (environmental law, social policy, competition and State aid law, and financial regulation).