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Do we really need criminal sanctions for the enforcement of EU law?

Öberg, Jacob LU (2014) In New Journal of European Criminal Law 5(3). p.370-387
Abstract
This article examines how the ‘essentiality’ requirement can limit the exercise of the EU’s criminal law competence under Article 83(2) TFEU. Building on criminological research, and contextual and principled considerations, it argues for an evidence-based approach to the ‘essentiality’ criterion. It sustains that the Union legislator must show by empirical proof that criminal laws are more ‘effective’ than non-criminal sanctions in the implementation of a specific EU policy. The article proposes that judicial enforcement is a key mechanism for implementing the ‘essentiality’ criterion. On the basis of the Court’s rulings in Kadi II and Tetra Laval a strict procedural test for review of criminal law legislation is suggested. It entails... (More)
This article examines how the ‘essentiality’ requirement can limit the exercise of the EU’s criminal law competence under Article 83(2) TFEU. Building on criminological research, and contextual and principled considerations, it argues for an evidence-based approach to the ‘essentiality’ criterion. It sustains that the Union legislator must show by empirical proof that criminal laws are more ‘effective’ than non-criminal sanctions in the implementation of a specific EU policy. The article proposes that judicial enforcement is a key mechanism for implementing the ‘essentiality’ criterion. On the basis of the Court’s rulings in Kadi II and Tetra Laval a strict procedural test for review of criminal law legislation is suggested. It entails that the EU legislator must show that the justification for exercising the EU’s criminal law competence is substantiated by relevant evidence. Because criminal penalties entail severe consequences for individuals and potentially breach their fundamental freedoms such a stringent test is justified. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
New Journal of European Criminal Law
volume
5
issue
3
pages
18 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85024857022
ISSN
2032-2844
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9e00b4b4-2d7b-4039-aa6e-1d6bde101991
date added to LUP
2018-09-05 11:33:29
date last changed
2023-06-26 06:36:38
@article{9e00b4b4-2d7b-4039-aa6e-1d6bde101991,
  abstract     = {{This article examines how the ‘essentiality’ requirement can limit the exercise of the EU’s criminal law competence under Article 83(2) TFEU. Building on criminological research, and contextual and principled considerations, it argues for an evidence-based approach to the ‘essentiality’ criterion. It sustains that the Union legislator must show by empirical proof that criminal laws are more ‘effective’ than non-criminal sanctions in the implementation of a specific EU policy. The article proposes that judicial enforcement is a key mechanism for implementing the ‘essentiality’ criterion. On the basis of the Court’s rulings in Kadi II and Tetra Laval a strict procedural test for review of criminal law legislation is suggested. It entails that the EU legislator must show that the justification for exercising the EU’s criminal law competence is substantiated by relevant evidence. Because criminal penalties entail severe consequences for individuals and potentially breach their fundamental freedoms such a stringent test is justified.}},
  author       = {{Öberg, Jacob}},
  issn         = {{2032-2844}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{370--387}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{New Journal of European Criminal Law}},
  title        = {{Do we really need criminal sanctions for the enforcement of EU law?}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}