Master EU Law - University of Amsterdam
Lecture notes week 1-13
Lecture 1: The European Constitution in crisis
Lecture 2: Fundamental Rights in the EU
Lecture 3: Between supremacy & sovereignty: The EU viewed from the perspective of MS
Lecture 4: the EU as a union of citizens
Lectur...
The EU constitution
● Does the EU have a constitution?
● The ‘Constitution Question’ and the ‘Federal Question’ are linked
The concept of constitution
● Does the EU have a constitution?
○ Different views:
a. Functional:
○ Is there a set of rules describing how powers are to be exercised in the
EU?
○ Yes → EU treaties
○ The EU has a constitution
○ Value-free definition
b. Normative:
○ Beyond functional definition of a constitution
○ Constitutional theory that demands certain requirements of what a
constitution should entail → before stating that something is a
constitution
○ What should a constitution be? Does the EU live up to this?
○ Is there a set of rules that is based on?
1. Separation of powers
a. Horizontal →
- separation of powers between institutions =
art. 13 TEU = institutional balance
b. Vertical →
- Between EU/MS → In principle yes
- Art. 6 TEU
- Not delineated well in the treaties!
2. Democracy
- Art. 10(1)(2) TEU
- EP powers + MS’ parliaments
- Citizens of the EU through EP
- → EU constitution based on elements of democracy and
has a primary position
3. Fundamental rights
- Art. 6 TEU →
- general principles of EU law
- ECHR accession
, - Charter FR → legally binding on EU institutions and MS
4. Rule of law
- One of the elements of a constitution is rule of law
- EU = based on rule of law = Art. 2 TEU → values of EU
- Art. 19 TEU → CJEU ensures application & interpretation
of treaties (1) + MS need to ensure effective legal
protection (2)
→ from a normative point of view = the EU scores well
- Ex: les Verts case (para.23) → Treaties constitutional
charter of the EU
But → What is the EU → An entity that is heavily interlinked with its component parts (MS)
Constitutionalism & federalism beyond the state:
● Federalism & the EU → a way to explain EU/MS relationship
○ But → federal = states = EU is NOT a state
○ EU → system based on self rule and shared rule with (at least) 2 levels of Government
who each operate on the basis of their own constitution
○ Can we move beyond federalism & states?
Semantics
● Original meaning of federal → foedus (means contract between sovereign states)
○ Federal → thus an international concept
○ Kant: states as contracting partners remain sovereign
○ Ex: first US constitution (1777)
● Now meaning = The second US constitution → 1787
○ Still in force today
○ Split the atom sovereignty → middleground between international & national
○ You can have 2 sovereigns on the same territory
○ Citizens subject to both at the same time
○ 1777 constitution → confederal
● The European tradition
○ American tradition (shared sovereignty) never got a stronghold in Europe
○ 19th century europe: obsession with indivisible sovereignty = sovereignty cannot be
split
○ Mixed forms were aberrations of nature
○ A state was either:
a. Federation: A federal state or a decentralised unitary state
b. A confederation → a creation of international law, not a state
,Critique based on democratic constitutionalism
● In federalism: peoples, sovereigns & constitutions may co-exist on the same territory
● Main thinking:
○ No european demos → so no constitution → no federal source of authority
○ All authority is from MS → EU has no sovereignty
○ Only one people = one sovereignty & one constitution
→ difference in viewpoints
solution: EU is a sui generis?
● Old European Tradition:
○ Either a state or a classic international organisation → or Neither?
● A non-theory
○ Negatively defining what the EU is not → it does not tell us what it is = problem
○ Schutze:
Shared rule: dual vs cooperative federalism
● All federal systems are unique, but 2 doctrinal families:
1. Dual federations
○ Strict separation of powers of legislative & executive functions
○ Emphasis is not on shared rule
○ Ex: Belgium + US
2. Cooperative federations:
○ Separation of powers is less strict
○ States are actors in centre → part of the power game = protects their interests
○ Legislative, executive & judicial functions are shared
○ Ex: Germany & EU
● Cooperative federalism in the EU
○ How institutions are shared
○ Shared democracy?
■ Yes: Art. 10 TEU: representative democracy, at union level (EP ) and at MS level
■ No: Bundesverfassungsgericht: EP can be no substitute for national parliament
○ Minister's → national function & EU function
○ National parliaments → role in legitimising the EU
○ Shared judiciary?
■ National & EU mandate for every national court
■ Making sure that the EU law is safeguarder in MS
The EU rule of constitutional law & its challenges
● A founding principle of EU law → art. 2 TEU
, ○ EU values
○ EU institutions → must comply with EU law
○ MS → as primary actors must also comply with rule of law (art.49 TEU)
■ Access to independent courts
Significance of the rule of law in the EU
● Very important → essential & foundational value of the EU
○ intra -EU → absolute sense of EU law = EU law always rules
● Role of rule of law in EU integration
○ Essential in peace project
○ Historically → CJEU considers integrity of EU law as essential for the integrity of the EU
○ Van Gend & Loos + Costa Enel
■ Only EU law can rule the EU
● Case les Verts
○ Treaties → as constitutional charter of the EU
○ EEC → community based on rule of law
The rule of law in legal theory
● Formal vs substantive conception of the rule of law
1. Formal/minimalist conception
- Does the rule of law only demand public power to be legally circumscribed,
predictable, exercised through clear procedural requirements and reviewable
by courts?
- Does not say anything about the law itself
2. Normative conceptions
- Does the rule of law also demand public power to conform to substantive
standards of democracy & human rights?
→ from formal conceptions to substantive concepts
→ from left to right more protection, social justice etc
→ Rule by law = public power (courts, state,government) must be exercised through legal instruments
→ which one is applied in EU law?
● Art. 2 TEU → Rule of law listed separately
Voordelen van het kopen van samenvattingen bij Stuvia op een rij:
Verzekerd van kwaliteit door reviews
Stuvia-klanten hebben meer dan 700.000 samenvattingen beoordeeld. Zo weet je zeker dat je de beste documenten koopt!
Snel en makkelijk kopen
Je betaalt supersnel en eenmalig met iDeal, creditcard of Stuvia-tegoed voor de samenvatting. Zonder lidmaatschap.
Focus op de essentie
Samenvattingen worden geschreven voor en door anderen. Daarom zijn de samenvattingen altijd betrouwbaar en actueel. Zo kom je snel tot de kern!
Veelgestelde vragen
Wat krijg ik als ik dit document koop?
Je krijgt een PDF, die direct beschikbaar is na je aankoop. Het gekochte document is altijd, overal en oneindig toegankelijk via je profiel.
Tevredenheidsgarantie: hoe werkt dat?
Onze tevredenheidsgarantie zorgt ervoor dat je altijd een studiedocument vindt dat goed bij je past. Je vult een formulier in en onze klantenservice regelt de rest.
Van wie koop ik deze samenvatting?
Stuvia is een marktplaats, je koop dit document dus niet van ons, maar van verkoper StudentLAW2024. Stuvia faciliteert de betaling aan de verkoper.
Zit ik meteen vast aan een abonnement?
Nee, je koopt alleen deze samenvatting voor €13,78. Je zit daarna nergens aan vast.