Although the 'level playing field' argument has been used for a long time, it is now being exploited to a greater extent in a context of geopolitical recomposition. It accompanies a two-pronged approach to public action in the market economy promoted by the European Union. Internally, it is intended to justify corrective action in the internal market, whether in terms of respecting the competitive order or promoting positive integration. Externally, the 'level playing field' aims to protect the internal market by exploiting the Brussels effect to re-establish a balance between European and non-European enterprises.