Primacy of EU Laws - Research Paper Example

The paper "The Primacy of European Unions Laws" is a worthy example of coursework on law. The dominance of EU (European Union) law is among the primary principles of the charter of the European Union. Acting as a variance of the rule of law instituted by the ECJ (European Court of Justice), the European Union Law acts as a tool for ensuring uniformity in the appliance of its laws among member states. Nevertheless, this tool encounters various obstacles once it comes into conflict with domestic laws of individual member states.

Clauses within the EU Laws give it primacy over local laws in cases of conflict of interest; however, this notion is stated in theory and far from the statement in practice.  Over the years, national courts have officially acknowledged their obligation to Article number 4 of paragraph number 3 Treaty of the TEU (Treaty of the European Union) in the application of the EU law entirely. Still, the application of EU law by administrative bodies and national courts encounters numerous impediments.

This further applies to the standard tenets of EU law, which were primarily established by the ECJ (European Court of Justice) by way of its case law. International and national legislation are two legal systems that are separate from each other and which are stringently followed in the United Kingdom. In this regard, national provisions are implemented entirely within state regions and cannot be drawn into the global legal system. International agreements have an effect exclusively on a global basis.

Section 2(1) of the EC (European Communities) Act of 1972 provides the legal effect to European Union law in the United Kingdom. The primary doctrine can only be functional based on articulate constitutional amendments. In light of this, the Federal Constitutional Court willingly accepted the notion of dominance. This acceptance was reaffirmed in the recent judgment concerning the Treaty of Lisbon. Nonetheless, since this acceptance is primarily based on the national constitution, it is also restricted by the latter.

Hence, it was held by the Federal Constitutional Court that in the event that a Union norm contravenes the indisputable core of the national constitution, the notion of primacy should not apply. Similarly looking across the borders shows that a majority of the supreme courts of fellow member states accept the concept of supremacy under similar limitations. Another major problem for the United Kingdom is the difference that arises between the primacy of the EU law and the principle of parliamentary sovereignty.

Parliament is capable of creating or terminating any law. United Kingdom courts fail to consider any Parliament legislation invalid, and Parliament has the discretion of changing any laws or creating new legislation in the future. In the case that pitted Factortame Ltd v. Secretary of State for Transport, the ruling was that the primacy of European Union law over United Kingdom law is only acknowledged where European Union law has competency above the British Legal system. As a result, if Parliament were to pass new laws that conflict with European Union laws, the courts could have power in some situations to have a temporary restriction to prevent the United Kingdom authorities implementing that law.

In effect, the primacy of European Union develops from the execution of parliamentary sovereignty. With regard to the Third Amendment of Irelands Constitution Act, Art 29(4), there is no provision in the constitution that invalidates acts that have been adopted by the state required by the duty of members of the European Community. Neither is there any provision that nullifies laws, which have been enacted or measures that have been adopted by institutions or communities, or even the European Union including bodies that are capable under the treaties from exercising the force of law.

Absolute primacy to European Union law in the state is provided by this legislation. However, in practice, it is rarely upheld by many courts. In the year 1989, the Irish Supreme Court restricted a number of student groups from handing out literature concerning the accessibility of abortion facilities in England because the circulation of such information violated Ireland's conational prohibition of abortion. The case involved the Society for the Safety of Unborn Children (SSUC) Ltd v Grogan8.

The ruling, in fact, was inconsistent with the free movement of sequence under European Union law owing to the acknowledgment of abortion by the European Court of Justice. With reference to this case and the ruling that was made from that point forward, it is apparent that the European Union law does not take precedence over some deep-seated constitutional values in Ireland.