Conference: National constitutional identity 10 years on
At the same time as it introduced the European (Political) Union and two intergovernmental pillars, the Maastricht Treaty also explicitly underlined, for the first time, that ‘[t]he Union shall respect the national identities of its Member States’ (art. 6-3 TEU). The concept of ‘constitutional identity’ subsequently became increasingly used by (some) constitutional courts too. Following the same trend, the Lisbon Treaty further enhanced the importance of the respect of Member States’ national identities by the EU, and its article 4-2 TEU now refers to the need for the Union to 'respect their national identities inherent in their fundamental structures, political and constitutional, inclusive of regional and local self-government.'
Against this background, this event aims to offer a reflection on the use of the National constitutional identity clause ten years after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. To this end, it proposes a new evaluation of this concept, as well as a new analysis of its functions.
Conveners: Monica Claes, Bruno de Witte, Diane Fromage
Preliminary programma
Monday 24 June 2019
| 13:30-13:50 | Welcome coffee and registration |
| 13:50-14:00 | Opening of the Conference by Monica Claes, Bruno de Witte and Diane Fromage |
| 14:00-15:15 | Panel 1 Conceptual aspects (1) Chair: Anne-Pieter van der Mei, Maastricht University - From Sovereignty to Constitutional Identity in the European Legal Space by François-Xavier Millet, Court of Justice of the European Union - From National to Constitutional identity: the evolution of art. 4 TEU by Pietro Faraguna, University of Trieste Discussant: Matteo Bonelli, State University of Milan |
| 15:15-15:30 | Coffee break |
| 15:30-17:00 |
Panel 2 Conceptual aspects (2) |
| 19:00 | Dinner for invited guests |
Tuesday 25 June 2019
| 09:15-10:45 | Constitutional identity and its functions Chair: Hildegard Schneider, Maastricht University - National identity and EU integration beyond "limited fields” by Matteo Bonelli, State University of Milan - Protecting identity or protecting diversity? by Bruno de Witte, Maastricht University Discussant: Jan-Herman Reestman, University of Amsterdam |
| 10:45-11:00 | Coffee break |
| 11:00-12:15 | Constitutional identity and its functions Chair: Ellen Vos, Maastricht University - Use and abuse of identity by Monica Claes, Maastricht University - Reflections on National constitutional identity 10 years after Lisbon by Leonard Besselink, University of Amsterdam |
| 12:15-12:30 | Concluding remarks By Monica Claes, Bruno de Witte, Diane Fromage, Maastricht University |
| 12:30-13:30 | Lunch |
Venue
Maastricht University
Faculty of Law
24th June, Room number C1.306
25th June, Statenzaal
Bouillonstraat 1-3
6211 LH Maastricht
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