Direct Public Access to EU Courts: Upholding Public International Law via the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee

2012 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Marsden
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Public Access ◽  
State Courts ◽  
Direct Access ◽  
Access To Justice ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Public International Law ◽  
Aarhus Convention ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Eu

This article examines the opportunities for individuals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to obtain access to justice in the European Union (EU) via international law. In the context of the first part of a concluded case before the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee (ACCC), it reviews the EU rules that restrict standing and examines whether the preliminary reference procedure from Member State courts provides an effective alternative to direct access to EU courts. Based on the general findings and recommendations, and analysis of the relationship between international and EU law, it is argued that there remains a need for greater EU compliance with the Convention, with the implication that EU primary as well as secondary law may need to be reformed if public international law obligations are to be fully met.

Countering Anti-Constitutional Argument: The Reasons for the European Court of Justice’s Decision in Kadi and Al Barakaat

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 15-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Eric Khushal Murkens
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Constitutional Courts ◽  
Public International Law ◽  
European Court ◽  
Un Security Council ◽  
Failure To Protect ◽  
Ec Law ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThis chapter examines the recent decision by the European Court of Justice in Kadi and Al Barakaat International Foundation. It is a response to criticism that the ECJ’s judgment, in providing for the review of EC measures implementing UN Security Council resolutions, undermines the authority of public international law. Instead of committing itself to international law and institutions at all cost, the ECJ concerns itself with the constitutional repercussions from national constitutional courts (in the case of failure to protect fundamental rights). Important as the relationship between EC law and international law is, there is a clear sense that the ECJ is responsible to, and will ultimately be held to account by, the courts and constitutions of the Member States of the European Union.

Public participation in decisions on specific activities in environmental matters in Croatia

elni Review ◽  
2012 ◽  
pp. 13-19
Author(s):  
Lana Ofak
Keyword(s):  
Public Participation ◽  
Positive Outcome ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Access To Justice ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Aarhus Convention ◽  
Specific Activities ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Eu

Croatia finished accession negotiations with the EU in June 2011. The Accession Treaty was signed on 9 December 2011. The EU accession referendum in Croatia was held in January 2012 with a positive outcome. 66.27% of Croatian citizens voted in favour of Croatian accession to the European Union and 33.13% of votes were against the accession. Following ratification of the Accession Treaty by the 27 EU member states, accession of Croatia to the EU is expected to take place on 1 July 2013. In the 2011 Progress Report, European Commission stated that there has been progress in the area of environment. Overall, Croatia’s environmentorientated preparations are nearing completion in terms of both alignment and implementation of the relevant legislation. However, implementation of the horizontal acquis, and in particular effective public participation and access to justice in environmental matters, need to be improved. The purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, it provides a general overview of the legal framework for public participation in decisions on specific activities in Croatia, which is intended to implement provisions of Art. 6 of the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (hereinafter: the Aarhus Convention or Convention). Implementation of Art. 7 and 8 of the Aarhus Convention are not discussed. Secondly, specific problems in exercising the right to participate in environmental impact assessment procedures in Croatia are analysed. It is shown that there are cases of non-compliance with the provisions of Art. 6 of the Aarhus Convention.

Cross-border litigation in England and Wales

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihail Danov
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Access To Justice ◽  
Private International Law ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Legal Regime ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Decision To Leave ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Eu

In the pre-Brexit era, England has established itself as one of the dominant jurisdictions for the resolution of cross-border disputes in the European Union (and the world). The legal regime in relation to private international law (PIL) in England and Wales has been significantly influenced by the EU PIL framework that was adopted at EU level. The United Kingdom decision to leave the EU might have significant implications for the parties’ access to justice in cross-border cases. This paper aims to devise a theoretical framework that is necessary to evaluate the potential impact of the UK’s decision to leave the EU on the private parties’ access to legal remedies. To this end, the author relies on empirical (qualitative) data that was gathered in 2015 and early 2016 in the context of the EU Private International Law: Legal Application in Reality (‘EUPILLAR’) project, indicating how the current EU PIL framework is functioning in England and Wales. An analysis of the way the parties’ strategies are devised under the current EU PIL regime helps in identifying the aspects which need to be considered, in order to set the research agenda and ascertain how the legal landscape in relation to PIL should be revised in the post-Brexit era.

scholarly journals The Inclusion of Shipping in the EU Emission Trading Scheme: A Legal Analysis in the light of Public International Law

10.17345/1286 ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Pérez Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
United Nations ◽  
International Law ◽  
Emission Trading ◽  
Emission Trading Scheme ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Public International Law ◽  
Trading Scheme ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Do So

After regulating Greenhouse Gas emissions from air transport, the European Union is now contemplating taking action on emissions from the shipping sector. In order to do so, the European Commission carried out a public consultation process between January and April 2012. This article analyses the legal problems that would arise, in the light of Public International Law, should the European Union decide to follow the path of aviation and include shipping under the European Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). To do so, the focus will be placed on six different normative bodies of international law: (1) the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol;(2) the MARPOL Convention; (3) the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; (4) the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the General Agreement on Trade of Services; (5) the principle of sovereignty over maritime areas; and (6) the bilateral agreements ratified by the EU containing clauses on maritime transport. The structure of each of the six normative bodies will be as follows: international commitments under each international norm, possibility of enforcement before tribunals and analysis of the legality of the EU measure in relation to that norm.

Countering Anti-Constitutional Argument: The Reasons for the European Court of Justice’s Decision in Kadi and Al Barakaat

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 15-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Eric Khushal Murkens
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Constitutional Courts ◽  
Public International Law ◽  
European Court ◽  
Un Security Council ◽  
Failure To Protect ◽  
Ec Law ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractThis chapter examines the recent decision by the European Court of Justice inKadi and Al Barakaat International Foundation. It is a response to criticism that the ECJ’s judgment, in providing for the review of EC measures implementing UN Security Council resolutions, undermines the authority of public international law. Instead of committing itself to international law and institutions at all cost, the ECJ concerns itself with the constitutional repercussions from national constitutional courts (in the case of failure to protect fundamental rights). Important as the relationship between EC law and international law is, there is a clear sense that the ECJ is responsible to, and will ultimately be held to account by, the courts and constitutions of the Member States of the European Union.

State Aid Law of the European Union

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
International Law ◽  
State Aid ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Public International Law ◽  
The Past ◽  
Political Implications ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Regulatory Measures ◽  
The Eu

Rules controlling State aid and subsidies on the EU and the WTO level can have a decisive influence on both regulatory and distributive decision-making. This field of law has grown exponentially in importance and complexity over the past decades. Rules on State aid and subsidies control are one of the key instruments to ensure that public spending and regulatory measures do not lead to discriminatory distortions of competition. As a consequence, hardly any part of national law is free from review under criteria of State aid and subsidy regulation. In turn, State aid and subsidies law is linked to economic, constitutional, administrative law of the EU and the Member States as well as to public international law. This book provides expert opinion and commentary on the diverse dimensions of this complex and vital area of law. Critically analysing and explaining developments and current approaches in State aid law and subsidies, the chapters take into account not only the legal dimensions but also the economic and political implications. They address the EU law applicable to State aid in the aftermath of the recent State Modernisation reform, and coverage includes: an in-depth analysis of the notion of State aid as interpreted by the Court's cases-law and the Commission's practice; the rules on compatibility of State aid with the internal market; the rules governing the procedure before the Commission; the litigation before the Court of Justice of the European Union; and analysis of the other trade defence instruments, including WTO subsidy law and EU anti-subsidy law.

scholarly journals Ponadnarodowa organizacja międzynarodowa a kwestia suwerenności – studium międzynarodowoprawne

2021 ◽  
pp. 21-38
Author(s):  
Danuta Kabat-Rudnicka ◽  
Brygida Kuźniak
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
European Union ◽  
International Law ◽  
Political Science ◽  
The European Union ◽  
International Organisations ◽  
Public International Law ◽  
Analytical Category ◽  
The Eu

The article focuses on the concept of sovereignty – an analytical category applicable to states. However, with the emergence of new actors in the international arena, especially new types of organisations such as the European Union, the question arises: whether it is possible to apply sovereignty to entities other than states. The authors have the assumption that in the area of social sciences, it is possible to give the concept of the sovereignty a certain trait of universality, inter alia, to better reconcile the legal and political science approaches. The aim of this study is to identify and then to define an important feature of the EU, which may be sovereignty itself or its equivalent (autonomy, claim to sovereignty, quasi-sovereignty). The results of the study may lead to a better understanding of non-state subjects of public international law such as international organisations in genere, and organisations of integrational and supranational character in specie. The article is analytical, comparative and explanatory.

scholarly journals On the Allocation of Competences between the European Union and its Member States in the Media Sector | Zur Kompetenzverteilung zwischen der Europäischen Union und den Mitgliedstaaten im Mediensektor

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. Cole ◽  
Jörg Ukrow ◽  
Christina Etteldorf
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Public International Law ◽  
Media Regulation ◽  
Media Pluralism ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Eu

With a special focus on safeguarding media pluralism, this study sheds light on the allocation of competences between the EU and the Member States in the media sector. Not only is the primary and secondary legal framework analysed in detail, but the relevant elements for ensuring media pluralism at EU level and core problems in media regulation under public international law are also examined. The study identifies both existing and potential tensions between national and EU level as well as limits to EU regulatory action. The analysis is put into context with the EU Digital Services Act Package and concludes with the identification of policy options for Member States.

scholarly journals The Inclusion of Shipping in the EU Emission Trading Scheme: A Legal Analysis in the light of Public International Law

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Pérez Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
United Nations ◽  
International Law ◽  
Emission Trading ◽  
Emission Trading Scheme ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Public International Law ◽  
Trading Scheme ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Do So

After regulating Greenhouse Gas emissions from air transport, the European Union is now contemplating taking action on emissions from the shipping sector. In order to do so, the European Commission carried out a public consultation process between January and April 2012. This article analyses the legal problems that would arise, in the light of Public International Law, should the European Union decide to follow the path of aviation and include shipping under the European Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). To do so, the focus will be placed on six different normative bodies of international law: (1) the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol;(2) the MARPOL Convention; (3) the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; (4) the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the General Agreement on Trade of Services; (5) the principle of sovereignty over maritime areas; and (6) the bilateral agreements ratified by the EU containing clauses on maritime transport. The structure of each of the six normative bodies will be as follows: international commitments under each international norm, possibility of enforcement before tribunals and analysis of the legality of the EU measure in relation to that norm.

Enforcement Actions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Prete
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
International Law ◽  
Dispute Resolution ◽  
Legal Order ◽  
Eu Law ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Public International Law ◽  
Court Of Justice ◽  
Legal Procedures ◽  
The Eu

The enforcement of EU law on non-compliant national authorities has, at its heart, infringement proceedings brought pursuant to Articles 258 to 260 TFEU. That focus is embedded in the scheme of the EU Treaties. In that regard, infringement proceedings are a particular feature of the EU legal order. As the Court of Justice stated in one of its first cases, ‘it is a procedure far exceeding the rules heretofore recognized in classical international law, to ensure that obligations of States are fulfilled’. Indeed, under the rules of public international law, there is no obligation to settle disputes or to establish formal and legal procedures for dispute resolution, which, where they exist, always depend on the consent of the parties concerned. By contrast, the jurisdiction of the Court in cases of EU law infringements by Member States is compulsory and constitutes a corollary to membership in the European Union.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document