Publication
Title
Constitutional identity in Belgium : a thing Of mystery
Author
Abstract
This chapter on Belgian constitutional identity consists of two parts. A first part explores the views of Belgium’s supreme judicial institutions on the relation between the Belgian Constitution – in particular its ‘identity’ – and EU law. It is shown that the courts’ views diverge. Whereas the Cour de Cassation fully complies with EU orthodoxy, the Constitutional Court’s acceptance of the primacy of EU law is based on a constitutional provision and is subject to the proviso that EU law comply with Belgium’s national identity and fundamental constitutional values. The Council of State, for its part, seems to vacillate between these two positions. In a second part, the focus shifts to the meaning of the twin concepts of national and constitutional identity in Belgian law. Those concepts being new to the Belgian legal order, their content is still shrouded in mystery. This contribution makes an attempt to lay bare their meaning by delving into Belgian constitutional history.
Language
English
Source (book)
Constitutional identity in a Europe of multilevel constitutionalism / Calliess, C. [edit.]; van der Schyff, G. [edit.]
Publication
Cambridge University Press , 2019
ISBN
978-1-108-72739-6
DOI
10.1017/9781108616256.004
Volume/pages
p. 59-84
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Law 
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
VABB-SHW
Record
Identifier
Creation 20.04.2021
Last edited 10.06.2022
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