Marja-Liisa Öberg
Senior lecturer
Friend Zone Forever? The Essence of and Justifications for the EU’s Decision-Making Autonomy
Author
Summary, in English
The expansion of the European Union’s (EU) regulatory sphere creates conflicts of sovereignty between the EU and its member states, and third countries that lack a possibility to participate in the making of those laws and policies. The conflict is epitomised in the concept of the Union’s decision-making autonomy. Albeit stringently applied, the concept is ambiguous and undefined. This article endeavours to unfold its meaning, use and significance, and question whether its rigid nature is justified in light of the Union’s aims in expanding its regulatory sphere. The article argues that the ultimate rationale of decision-making autonomy is to ensure the effectiveness of the EU legal order as well as to compensate for the member states’ loss of sovereignty, investment and risk-taking. Insofar as non-member states do not demonstrate similar commitment to the EU, exclusion from decision-making is justified to retain the privilege and attractiveness of membership.
Department/s
- Department of Law
- EU Law
Publishing year
2023
Language
English
Pages
1622-1638
Publication/Series
Journal of Common Market Studies
Volume
61
Issue
6
Full text
- Available as PDF - 264 kB
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Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
Topic
- Law
Keywords
- Sovereignty movement
- Decision-making autonomy
- Brexit
- European Economic Area
- Mutual trust
- EU law
- EU-rätt
Status
Published
Research group
- EU Law
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1468-5965