Suzanne Kingston, a barrister and a lecturer in law at University College Dublin, will discuss the limits of an ever closer European Union at the European Union Centre of Excellence’s (EUCE) Lecture in Law & Governance Tuesday.
Her talk, “From the European Economic Community to a Europe of ‘Values’: Assessing the Limits of the ‘Ever Closer Union’”, will take place March 15, from 12:30 to 2pm, at 519 York Research Tower, Keele campus.
Right: Suzanne Kingston
Kingston will argue that although the European Union (EU) began as a regional economic organization aimed essentially at achieving a customs union and, ultimately, a common market, the past 20 years have witnessed tremendous efforts to cast off these limitations in a constant process of “creating an ever closer union” [Article 1, Treaty on European Union] and that has raised questions.
One of those questions that her paper will address is: With many of the low-hanging fruit in the integration process already picked, are there inherent limits to the integration process?
She will offer critical discussion of this question with specific reference to some key frontiers of European integration following the failure of the EU’s Constitutional Treaty (2004) and the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon (2009). Particular attention will be paid to the fields of foreign policy and external affairs, the social market economy and values and fundamental rights.
Kingston specializes in EU law, including EU environmental and competition law. She was an affiliated lecturer at Cambridge University from 2006 to 2007, and served as a référendaire (legal adviser) in the cabinet of advocate general L.A. Geelhoed at the European Court of Justice, Luxembourg from 2004 to 2006.
Prior to this, she practised EU law at the Brussels office of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton. She has published widely on EU law, and is the author of the forthcoming book, Greening EU Competition Law and Policy (Cambridge University Press).
Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome, but attendees are asked to pre-register at euce@yorku.ca.