Articles for category: Europa

On Mushroom Reasoning and Kostakopoulou’s Argument for Eurozenship

Dora Kostakopoulou makes a spirited case for an autonomous status of European Union citizenship – one that is not related to the possession of citizenship of a Member State. However, while I sympathise with some of the concerns lying behind this proposal, I regard it as a misguided way of addressing them that is based in its turn on a misunderstanding of the nature of citizenship and of the EU and its achievements – albeit one shared by a number of the EU’s prime actors as well as certain of its foes.

16. Januar 2019

, ,

Who Should Be a Citizen of the Union? Toward an Autonomous European Union Citizenship

Refusing to believe that political constraints outweigh political possibilities in the present historical conjuncture, I argue that the time is ripe for the disentanglement of Eurozenship from Member State nationality. Since the mid-1990s I have defended this reform. But my argument for an autonomous Eurozenship in this debate unfolds in two steps which are presented in the subsequent two sections. In the first section, I explore the incremental disentanglement of EU citizenship from the nationality law of Member States, while in the second section I reconstruct Eurozenship, that is, I present the configuration of an autonomous EU citizenship law which can co-exist with EU citizenship cum Member State nationality.

16. Januar 2019

, ,

1095 Days Later: From Bad to Worse Regarding the Rule of Law in Poland (Part I)

On 13 January 2016, exactly three years ago today, the Commission activated the so-called rule of law framework for the very first time with respect to Poland. As things stand today, Polish authorities’ sustained and systematic attacks on the rule of law now more than ever directly threaten the very functioning of the EU legal order.

13. Januar 2019

,

Rationalising political representation within the European Parliament: the Italian Constitutional Court rules on the threshold for the European elections

In December 2018, the Italian Constitutional Court found the national 4% threshold for elections to the European Parliament to be constitutional. Unlike the Bundesverfassungsgericht, which focused in-depth on the European state of affairs at a given stage, the Corte costituzionale has pointed to a gradual evolutionary development towards “a rationalisation of the representation of political forces within the European parliamentary assembly”. According to this interpretation, both the national parliaments and the European Parliament face similar challenges.

11. Januar 2019

, ,

Capturing Bulgaria’s Justice System: The Homestretch

While focusing on other EU members facing challenges in the area of rule of law, foreign commentators may not realize that the situation in Bulgaria is critical. Bulgaria’s executive is now headed into the homestretch of capturing the entire justice system. The current unprecedented proceedings against the President of the Supreme Court of Cassation would complete the capture if the plan that shows through – remove him from office – works.

9. Januar 2019

Keine Grenzkontrollen im Schengen-Raum! Auch nicht durch Busfahrer

Nach dem Schengener Grenzkodex sind Grenzkontrollen an den Binnengrenzen des Schengen-Raums abgeschafft. Doch die Mitgliedstaaten, allen voran Deutschland, lassen kaum etwas unversucht, diese Vorgabe zu umgehen. Indem sie die Kontrollen ins Hinterland verlagern, behaupten sie ihre „Grenzhoheit“ nach dem Motto: „Wenn wir nicht an der Grenze kontrollieren dürfen, dann kontrollieren wir eben davor oder dahinter.“ Mit Urteil vom 13.12.2018 hat der Europäische Gerichtshof einer besonders kreativen Umgehungstaktik nun den Riegel vorgeschoben: Der Übertragung der Kontrolle auf private Beförderungsunternehmen.

18. Dezember 2018

, ,

Zwangshaft für Markus Söder? Von der Ungemütlichkeit an den Grenzen des Rechtsstaats

Mitten in die ohnehin längst nicht mehr beschauliche Vorweihnachtszeit schallten jüngst beunruhigende Nachrichten von einer spektakulären Vorlage des Bayerischen Verwaltungsgerichtshofs an den EuGH. Dürfen oder müssen wir den Bayerischen Ministerpräsidenten in Zwangshaft nehmen lassen? So lautet nur wenig verkürzt die Vorlagefrage. Hintergrund ist der Streit um Dieselfahrverbote in deutschen Innenstädten. Die Vorlage zeugt von einer neuen Ungemütlichkeit an den Grenzen des Rechtsstaates, die das Vertrauen in dessen Berechenbarkeit und Verlässlichkeit zu erschüttern droht.

13. Dezember 2018

, , ,

The Strange Case of the Publicity of the Brexit Legal Advice

One of the most remarkable episodes of the most remarkable Brexit saga is the strange case of the publicity of the Brexit legal advice. The actions of Theresa May’s government seem to aim at reducing both popular and democratic sovereignty to an empty shell before the incumbent Prime Minister and her cabinet are kicked out of power. However, the case of the publicity of legal advice is indeed strange not only on account of what has transpired on the British isles, but also of what has not happened on the continent.

12. Dezember 2018

, ,

Alle Jahre wieder: die Geldpolitik der EZB vor Gericht

Nicht nur die Geräuschkulisse des Brexits absorbierte ein Stück weit die Aufmerksamkeit für das Urteil des Europäischen Gerichtshofs (EuGH) zur Zulässigkeit des Anleihenkaufprogramms der EZB. Denn immerhin entschied Luxemburg damit über eine der nach wie vor seltenen Vorlagen aus Karlsruhe. Dazu mag auch beigetragen haben, dass seit der Stellungnahme des Generalanwalts Wathelet nicht mehr damit gerechnet wurde, dass der EuGH der Europäischen Zentralbank (EZB) einen sprichwörtlichen Strich durch die Rechnung machen würde. Dennoch ist das Urteil aus einigen Gründen bemerkenswert.

12. Dezember 2018

, , ,

Sovereign Choices: The CJEU’s Ruling on Exit from Brexit

In today’s Wightman judgment, the CJEU has ruled that a Member State may unilaterally revoke its notified intention to withdraw from the EU prior to that withdrawal taking effect. The Court is clearly signalling that membership of the European Union, and the rights and responsibilities which come with it, is voluntary. As political messages go, that is a pretty big message.

10. Dezember 2018

, ,