The Future of the European Union in the Web of Concepts

Abstract

The future of the European Union depends on many factors. At present, many Member States’ constitutional courts are challenging the primacy of EU law, speaking out against ‘stealth powers’ and coming into conflict with EU bodies. We all want to see unity strengthened and integration continued, based on common interests and values, while respecting diversity. However, this requires the separation of a number of concepts that are inescapable from a constitutional point of view: constitutional identity, basic state functions, sovereignty and national identity. What is the meaning of Article 4(2) TEU? How do Hungary’s specific values differ from those of the EU? In my research, my aim was to discover what are the basic state functions, whether they constitute an effective reference point before the TEU, and what would be the right way to strengthen integration – in the Hungarian thread of the European tapestry.