Make a Submission
Vol. 35 (2015)
General Articles

The Polish Constitutional Tribunal and the Judicial Europeanization of the Constitution

PDF
  • Aleksandra Kustra
Aleksandra Kustra
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń

Published 2016-06-30

Keywords

  • Europeanization,
  • Constitution,
  • Constitutional Tribunal,
  • constitutional review,
  • constitutional identity,
  • EU-friendly interpretation of the Constitution
    • ...More
    Less

Copyright (c) 2016 ILS PAS

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

The Polish Constitutional Tribunal and the Judicial Europeanization of the Constitution. (2016). Polish Yearbook of International Law, 35, 193-215. https://doi.org/10.7420/pyil2015g

Abstract

This article examines the process of the judicial Europeanization of the Polish Constitution. In Poland the judicial method of Europeanizing the Constitution is currently the primary way of adjusting constitutional norms to requirements resulting from EU law. The phenomenon of re-interpretation of constitutional provisions in light of the new and changing realities is a characteristic feature of contemporary constitutionalism. It has been a long time since most national constitutions have undergone significant textual changes. In Poland, the scope of judicial Europeanization of the Constitution is connected, to a great extent, with the inflexible procedure required for constitutional amendments. In this situation, these so-called “silent changes” of constitutional norms are the easiest and fastest way of reacting to requirements stemming from Poland’s EU membership. In the Polish case not only have the norms regarding the political system of the state changed, but also constitutional standards relating to the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms have undergone the process of the Europeanization. To some extent, these changes relate to procedural norms as well.

PDF

References

  1. Act of 26 July 1991 on income tax payable by natural persons, Journal of Laws 2000, No. 14, item 176.
  2. Besselink L., National and constitutional identity before and after Lisbon, “Utrecht Law Review” 2010, vol. 6, no. 3.
  3. Besselink L., The Member States, the National Constitutions and the Scope of the Charter, “Maastricht Journal” 2001, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 68–80.
  4. Biocomponents used for Liquid Fuels and Liquid Biofuel Act, Journal of Laws 2003, No. 199, item 1934.
  5. Bodnar A., Poland: EU driven democracy? [in:] W. Sadurski, L. Morlino (eds.), Democratization and the European Union: Comparing Central and Eastern European Post-Communist Countries, Routledge, London-New York 2010, pp. 19–44.
  6. Boer N. de, Addressing rights divergences under the Charter: Melloni, “Common Market Law Review” 2013, vol. 50.
  7. Bundesverfassungsgericht decision of 22 October 1986, No. 2 BvR 197/83.
  8. Case C-120/78 Rewe-Zentral AG v. Bundesmonopolverwaltung für Branntwein [1979], ECR 00649, https://curia.europa.eu/juris/showPdf.jsf?text=&docid=90055&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=345726 [access: 6.07.2021].
  9. Case C-314/08 Krzysztof Filipiak v. Dyrektor Izby Skarbowej w Poznaniu [2009] ECR I-11049, https://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=73700&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=345071 [access: 6.07.2021].
  10. Case C-314/85 Foto-Frost v. Hauptzollamt Lübeck-Ost [1987] ECR 04199, https://curia.europa.eu/juris/showPdf.jsf?text=&docid=94312&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=345608 [access: 6.07.2021].
  11. Case C‑399/11 Stefano Melloni v. Ministerio Fiscal [2013], ECR I-0000, https://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=134203&pageIndex=0&doclang=EN&mode=lst&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=345863 [access: 6.07.2021].
  12. Case C-617/10 Åklagaren v. Hans Åkerberg Fransson [2013], ECR I-0000, https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?oqp=&for=&mat=or&jge=&td=%3BALL&jur=C%2CT%2CF&num=C-617%252F10&page=1&dates=&pcs=Oor&lg=&pro=&nat=or&cit=none%252CC%252CCJ%252CR%252C2008E%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252Ctrue%252Cfalse%252Cfalse&language=pl&avg=&cid=345983 [access: 6.07.2021].
  13. Cebulak P., Inherent risk of the pluralist structure: Use of the concept of national constitutional identity by the Polish and Czech Constitutional Courts, “Croatian Yearbook of European Law and Policy” 2012, vol. 8, pp. 473–504.
  14. Cooperation of the Council of Ministers with Sejm and Senate on matters connected to Membership of the Republic of Poland in the European Union Act, Journal of Laws 2004, No. 52, item 515.
  15. Council Framework Decision of 13 June 2002 on the European Arrest Warrant and the surrender procedures between Member States - Statements made by certain Member States on the adoption of the Framework Decision OJ L 190/1.
  16. Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters as being in violation of the Polish Constitution, OJ L 12/1.
  17. Decision of 15 December 2015, case 2 BvR 2735/14.
  18. Dudzik S., Półtorak N., “The court of the last word”: Competences of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal in the review of European Union Law, “Yearbook of Polish European Studies” 2012, vol. 15, pp. 225–258.
  19. European Court of Human Rights, Bosphorus Airlines v. Ireland (App. No. 45036/98), 30 January 2005.
  20. Fontanelli F., Hic Sunt Nationes : The Elusive Limits of the EU Char ter and the German Constitutional Watchdog: Court of Justice of the European Union: Judgment of 26 February 2013, Case C-617/10 Åklagaren v. Hans Åkerberg Fransson, “European Constitutional Law Review” 2013, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 315–334.
  21. Hong M., Human Dignity and Constitutional Identity: The Solange-III-Decision of the German Constitutional Court, VerfBlog, 18 February 2016, http://tinyurl.com/za3w4bv [access: 20.04.2016].
  22. Judgment of 16 November 2011, SK 45/09, “Orzecznictwo Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zbiór Urzędowy” 2011/9A/97.
  23. Judgment of 21 April 2004, case no. K 33/03, “Orzecznictwo Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zbiór Urzędowy” 2004/4A/31.
  24. Judgment of 23 April 2008, case no. SK 16/07, “Orzecznictwo Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zbiór Urzędowy” 2008/3A/45.
  25. Judgment of 24 April 2013, case 1 BvR 1215/07.
  26. Judgment of 24 November 2010, case no. K 32/09, “Orzecznictwo Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zbiór Urzędowy” /9A/108.
  27. Judgment of 27 April 2005, No. P 1/05, “Orzecznictwo Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zbiór Urzędowy” 2005/4A/42.
  28. Judgment of 27 May 2003, case no. K 11/03, “Orzecznictwo Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zbiór Urzędowy” 2003/5A/43.
  29. Judgment of 28 January 2003, case no. K 2/02, “Orzecznictwo Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zbiór Urzędowy” 2003/1A/4.
  30. Judgment of 7 November 2007, case no. K 18/06, “Orzecznictwo Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zbiór Urzędowy” 2007/10A/122.
  31. Judgment of 8 July 2008, case no. K 46/07, “Orzecznictwo Trybunału Konstytucyjnego. Zbiór Urzędowy” 2008/6A/104.
  32. Komárek J., The place of Constitutional Courts in the EU, “European Constitutional Law Review” 2013, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 420–450.
  33. Kustra A., Europeizacja konstytucji w orzecznictwie Trybunału Konstytucyjnego RP [in:] Z. Witkowski et al. (eds.), Aktualne problemy współczesnego konstytucjonalizmu: europeizacja konstytucji Republiki Czeskiej i Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, Toruń, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UMK, Toruń 2014, pp. 69-95.
  34. Lazowski A., Accession treaty Polish Constitutional Tribunal conformity of the accession treaty with the Polish Constitution. Decision of 11 May 2005, “European Constitutional Law Review” 2007, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 148–162.
  35. Lazowski A., Constitutional Tribunal on the surrender of Polish citizens under the European Arrest Warrant: Decision of 27 April 2005, “European Constitutional Law Review” 2005, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 569–581.
  36. Lazowski A., Half full, half empty glass: The application of the EU law in Poland (2004-2010), “Common Market Law Review” 2011, vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 503–553.
  37. Lazowski A., The Polish Parliament and the EU affairs: An effective actor or accidental hero? [in:] J. O’Brennar, T. Raunio (eds.), National Parliaments within the Enlarged European Union: From Victims of Integration to Competitive Actors?, Routledge, London-New York 2007, pp. 203–219.
  38. Leczykiewicz D., Trybunal Konstytucyjny (Polish Constitutional Tribunal), Judgment of 27 April 2005, No. P 1/05, “Common Market Law Review” 2006, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 1181–1191.
  39. Nußberger A., Poland, the Constitutional Tribunal on the implementation of the European Arrest Warrant, “International Journal of Constitutional Law” 2008, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 162–170.
  40. Półtorak N., Europeanisation of public law as a consequence of the principle of the effectiveness of European Union law [in:] K. Wojtyczek (ed.), Public Law: Twenty Years After, The Public Law after 1989 from the Polish Perspective, Esperia Publications, London 2012, pp. 199–244.
  41. Reestman J.H., Besselink L., After Åkerberg Fransson and Melloni, “ European Constitutional Law Review” 2013, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 169–175.
  42. Sadurski W., Accession’s democracy dividend: The impact of the EU enlargement upon democracy in the new Member States of the Central and Eastern Europe, “Yearbook of Polish European Studies” 2003, vol. 7, pp. 33–70.
  43. The decision of Wojewódzki Sąd Administracyjny w Poznaniu of 30 May 2008, case no. I SA 1756/07.
  44. The Society’s Education and Prevention of Alcoholism Act, Journal of Laws 1982, No. 35, item 230.
  45. Thym D., Separation versus Fusion – or: How to accommodate national autonomy and the Charter? Diverging visions of the German Constitutional Court and the European Court of Justice, “European Constitutional Law Review” 2013, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 391–419.
  46. Wendel M., Lisbon before the courts: Comparative perspective, “European Constitutional Law Review” 2011, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 96–137.
  47. Wyrozumska A., Some comments on the judgment of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal on the EU Accession Treaty and on the implementation of the European Arrest Warrant, “Polish Yearbook of International Law” 2004-2005, vol. 27, pp. 7–31.

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.