The Front Polisario v. Council Case: The General Court, Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and the External Aspect of European Integration

(Series Information) European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, 2017 2(1), 339-356 | European Forum Insight of 23 March 2017 | (Table of Contents) I. Introduction. - II. Background to the dispute. - III. The proceedings before the General Court and the Court's Judgment. - III.1. Admiss...

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Main Author: Eva Kassoti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: European Papers (www.europeanpapers.eu) 2017-03-01
Series:European Papers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.europeanpapers.eu/en/europeanforum/the-front-polisario-v-council-case-general-court-and-volkerrechtsfreundlichkeit
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author Eva Kassoti
author_facet Eva Kassoti
author_sort Eva Kassoti
collection DOAJ
description (Series Information) European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, 2017 2(1), 339-356 | European Forum Insight of 23 March 2017 | (Table of Contents) I. Introduction. - II. Background to the dispute. - III. The proceedings before the General Court and the Court's Judgment. - III.1. Admissibility. - III.2. The substance of the action. - IV. Analysis and comment. - IV.1. The failure to address the question of Front Polisario's international legal personality. - IV.2. The failure to establish the international legal status of Western Sahara. - IV.3. The failure to take into account the right to self-determination and the corollary obligation of non-recognition. - V. Conclusion. | (Abstract) Over the last few years, the CJEU's approach to international law has sparked a fierce debate in the literature. More recent case-law has challenged the narrative of the CJEU's Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and it has called into question the EU's carefully cultivated self-image as a global actor with an attitude of respect and fidelity to international law. The judgment of the General Court in Front Polisario (judgment of 10 December 2015, case T-512/12) is especially relevant since it involved a number of complex international law questions and thus, it provides important insights into how the CJEU treats international law in its practice, thereby feeding directly into the debate over the CJEU's Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit. The case-note argues that the Court's approach to international law leaves much to be desired and sits uncomfortably with the traditional self-portrayal of the EU as an internationally engaged actor committed to the observance of international law, thereby confirming the view that, in its more recent case-law, the CJEU has abandoned the "international law friendly" tone of its earlier judgments. This Insight only takes into account the judgment of the General Court in the Front Polisario case, while the decision of the Court of Justice (judgment of 21 December 2016, case C-104/16 P, Council v. Front Polisario [GC]) will be the object of a subsequent Insight forthcoming on this European Forum.
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spelling doaj.art-c029e689ef7843fc8b60272554d338782022-12-21T23:30:05ZengEuropean Papers (www.europeanpapers.eu)European Papers2499-82492017-03-012017 2133935610.15166/2499-8249/122The Front Polisario v. Council Case: The General Court, Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and the External Aspect of European IntegrationEva Kassoti0The Hague University of Applied Sciences(Series Information) European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, 2017 2(1), 339-356 | European Forum Insight of 23 March 2017 | (Table of Contents) I. Introduction. - II. Background to the dispute. - III. The proceedings before the General Court and the Court's Judgment. - III.1. Admissibility. - III.2. The substance of the action. - IV. Analysis and comment. - IV.1. The failure to address the question of Front Polisario's international legal personality. - IV.2. The failure to establish the international legal status of Western Sahara. - IV.3. The failure to take into account the right to self-determination and the corollary obligation of non-recognition. - V. Conclusion. | (Abstract) Over the last few years, the CJEU's approach to international law has sparked a fierce debate in the literature. More recent case-law has challenged the narrative of the CJEU's Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and it has called into question the EU's carefully cultivated self-image as a global actor with an attitude of respect and fidelity to international law. The judgment of the General Court in Front Polisario (judgment of 10 December 2015, case T-512/12) is especially relevant since it involved a number of complex international law questions and thus, it provides important insights into how the CJEU treats international law in its practice, thereby feeding directly into the debate over the CJEU's Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit. The case-note argues that the Court's approach to international law leaves much to be desired and sits uncomfortably with the traditional self-portrayal of the EU as an internationally engaged actor committed to the observance of international law, thereby confirming the view that, in its more recent case-law, the CJEU has abandoned the "international law friendly" tone of its earlier judgments. This Insight only takes into account the judgment of the General Court in the Front Polisario case, while the decision of the Court of Justice (judgment of 21 December 2016, case C-104/16 P, Council v. Front Polisario [GC]) will be the object of a subsequent Insight forthcoming on this European Forum.https://www.europeanpapers.eu/en/europeanforum/the-front-polisario-v-council-case-general-court-and-volkerrechtsfreundlichkeitrelationship between international and eu lawvölkerrechtsfreundlichkeitnational liberation movementright to self-determinationobligation of non-recognitionpermanent sovereignty over natural resources
spellingShingle Eva Kassoti
The Front Polisario v. Council Case: The General Court, Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and the External Aspect of European Integration
European Papers
relationship between international and eu law
völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit
national liberation movement
right to self-determination
obligation of non-recognition
permanent sovereignty over natural resources
title The Front Polisario v. Council Case: The General Court, Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and the External Aspect of European Integration
title_full The Front Polisario v. Council Case: The General Court, Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and the External Aspect of European Integration
title_fullStr The Front Polisario v. Council Case: The General Court, Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and the External Aspect of European Integration
title_full_unstemmed The Front Polisario v. Council Case: The General Court, Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and the External Aspect of European Integration
title_short The Front Polisario v. Council Case: The General Court, Völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and the External Aspect of European Integration
title_sort front polisario v council case the general court volkerrechtsfreundlichkeit and the external aspect of european integration
topic relationship between international and eu law
völkerrechtsfreundlichkeit
national liberation movement
right to self-determination
obligation of non-recognition
permanent sovereignty over natural resources
url https://www.europeanpapers.eu/en/europeanforum/the-front-polisario-v-council-case-general-court-and-volkerrechtsfreundlichkeit
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