Constitutional Law of the European Union - 3rd Edition - James D. Dinnage

Constitutional Law of the European Union 3rd Edition James D. Dinnage ISBN 9780769846002

Since the publication of the second edition in 2008, the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force on December 1, 2009, bringing significant changes to the constitutional structure of the European Union. In response, the authors have reorganized the book to reflect these transformations.

A major revision is the creation of a constitutional “template” in the entirely new Chapter 1, which reorganizes and simplifies the Treaty texts into a framework that mirrors how constitutions are typically understood—covering government structure, competences, separation of powers, and human rights. Chapter 2 then expands on the template, providing a high-level overview of the provisions, while the remainder of the book develops the template in detail, offering a fresh and unique perspective for both students and practitioners.

The book now systematically covers:

• The nature of the EU, including membership, objectives, institutions, and its autonomous status—analogous to a preamble and supremacy clause;

• Components of EU law, including constitutional sources and legal acts of the Union;

• Union legislature, detailing the structure, procedures, and powers of the relevant institutions;

• Executive powers, explaining the organization, processes, and authority of executive bodies;

• Judicial powers, outlining the structure, jurisdiction, and functions of the Union’s courts;

• Union competences and the limitations on Member States’ powers to ensure the functioning of the internal market, with summarized case law illustrating the practical reach of the TFEU;

• The individual’s position under Union law, including fundamental rights and the incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights; and

• Relations between Member States, highlighting how constitutional and legal frameworks shape inter-state interactions.

This restructured approach provides a conceptually coherent and practically insightful guide to understanding EU law in the post-Lisbon era.

Constitutional Law of the European Union 3rd Edition James D. Dinnage ISBN 9780769846002, 978-0769846002 & 9780327176244

Authors
James D. Dinnage
Jean Laffineur