The European Union’s Legal Personality in International Law – Character, Structure, and Scope

Abstract

In this paper, the author considers the issues of one’s legal personality in international law in general, with emphasis on the international legal personality of the European Union. The focus of discussion is on the character and structure of the European Union’s international legal personality and its peculiarities as a unique, juridical person. Special attention was given to the notion of the EU as a sui generis subject of international law, along with its scope of activities and supranational elements. As pointed out in this paper, these issues are numerous. Firstly, the issue of the European Union’s status within the international legal order is analysed and, further on, the character and the elements of its legal personality and the scope of the EU’s legal capacity as a juridical person in international law is also looked at. By conducting this discussion, conclusions were reached regarding the determination of the EU’s international legal personality (primarily regarding its current character and structure), which undoubtedly exists within the framework of the international legal order, but as a specific and unique personality in many respects.

Keywords

• international law
• european union
• legal personality
• legal capacity
• juridical person
• legal capabilities