The Working Language of the CJEU: Time for a Change?

It is well known that the working language of the CJEU is French. For many years, the status of French was unquestioned, but this is now changing. This article considers how French came to be chosen as the CJEU’s working language; the effect of that choice on the CJEU’s judicial method; and the feasibility and desirability of a change in the CJEU’s language practices. Has French become an impediment to the CJEU’s capacity to communicate effectively with its stakeholders? Should French be replaced or supplemented? If so, by what? Would any potential benefits that might accrue from changing the CJEU’s language practices be outweighed by the disruption that would be caused? Or do the political sensitivities in play simply make reform impossible

The Changing Nature of Academic Careers in Law

An introductory talk given to Birmingham Law School PGR students as part of their annual PGR Conference, held at the University of Birmingham in June 2014. Anthony Arnull traces the transformations in Legal Education and the impact of the economic climate on student expectations and standards of teaching

The Member States of the European Union and Giscard\u27s Blueprint for Its Future

The purpose of this Article is to consider the implications for the European Union\u27s (“EU”) Member States of the Draft Union Constitution published in the summer of 2003. The Article begins by briefly describing the process which led to the production of the Draft Treaty and considers the formal status it would enjoy if adopted. The Article then focuses on provisions of the Draft Treaty which: 1. deal with its relationship with the domestic law of the Member States; 2. affect EU decision-making, particularly the functioning of institutions in which the Member States are directly represented at the political level or the overall institutional balance in the EU; 3. affect Member States\u27 freedom of action, especially in areas which might be regarded as touching core aspects of national sovereignty; or 4. affect the functioning of national institutions or their role in the activities of the EU. The Article concludes with an attempt to appraise the overall significance of the Draft Treaty on the relationship between the Union and its Member States. The assessment offered throughout the Article is of necessity, provisional. The Draft Treaty is a long and complex document and its full implications are unlikely to be immediately apparent