
Latest blog articles
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Let’s take a deep breath: on the EU (and academic) reaction to the Polish Constitutional Tribunal’s ruling
Breath in, breath out. Yes, the judgment of the (unlawfully composed) Polish Constitutional Tribunal is a serious challenge to the European Union’s legal system and to the principle of primacy of EU law. No, Poland has not activated the process of withdrawal from the EU under Article 50 TEU. Yes, EU...
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Whittling down the collective interest
On Friday 31 July, the Cypriot parliament voted against the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada. This latest development in the ratification process of CETA illustrates perfectly how facultative mixity continuously frustrates our collective interest in seeing the...
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Who owns the geographical indication Pisco, Peru or Chile?
With the development of international trade, local products have started to spread all around the world and become popular worldwide. Geographical indications (GIs) are meant to protect the use of the name that indicates certain characteristics and the origin of products typical for a particular...
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Crossing borders in search of education? Not for schoolchildren! (part 2)
Can Member States prohibit pupils from attending education abroad, simply on the belief that it might hamper the integration of the children into society? But what of possible justification grounds?
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Crossing borders in search of education? Not for schoolchildren! (part 1)
Can Member States of the EU prohibit pupils from attending education abroad, simply on the belief that it might hamper the integration of these children into society? If this sounds extreme, read on.
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She said no: Italy and Europe after the constitutional referendum
In the 4th December referendum, Italy rejected the constitutional reforms promoted by the Renzi’s government. As a consequence of the “No” vote, the Prime Minister decided to resign. While the vote was influenced primarily by internal factors, the result may open a period of uncertainty for both...
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Black Piets, Burqa Bans, and Radical Populism in a Kakistocracy
Published on LBM. Here is a fun word that you may have come across recently: Kakistocracy. Based on the Greek word kakistos (meaning “the worst”), kakistocracy is a system of governance run by the least qualified, most “deplorable” citizens that the State has to offer.
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‘Inside’ the European Parliament’s Closed Reading Rooms: Transparency in the EU
Published on MLR blogs. What do documents about negotiations of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), oversight of the EU’s Food Safety Authority or Tax-Justice have in common? In order to access these documents, (selected) Members of the European Parliament are requested to...
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Juncker's State of the Union 2016
It was even featured on Dutch television: the State of the Union by Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission on 14 September 2016... This blog is only available in Dutch.