Overview

The European architecture for the protection of fundamental rights combines the legal regimes of the states, the European Union, and the European Convention on Human Rights. The purpose of this book is to analyse the constitutional implications of this multilevel architecture and to examine the dynamics that spring from the interaction between different human rights standards in Europe. The book adopts a comparative approach, and through a comparison with the federal system of the United States, it advances an analytical model that systematically explains the dynamics at play in the European multilevel human rights architecture. It identifies two recurrent challenges in the interplay between different state and transnational human rights standards-a challenge of ineffectiveness, when transnational law operates as a ceiling of protection for a specific human right, and a challenge of inconsistency when transnational law operates as a floor-and considers the most recent transformations taking place in the European human rights regime. The book tests the model of challenges and transformations by examining in depth four case studies: the right to due process for suspected terrorists, the right to vote for non-citizens, the right to strike and the right to abortion. In light of these examples, the book then concludes by reassessing the main theories on the protection of fundamental rights in Europe and making the case for a new vision-a 'neo-federal' theory-which is able to frame the dilemmas of identity, equality and supremacy behind the European multilevel architecture for the protection of human rights.

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9780198702047

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Reviews

Fabbrini sets out the critical issues with clarity, and in providing extensive empirical case studies and a comparative methodology, the breadth of his scholarship is impressive. He writes with lucidity and clarity and provides useful summaries at the end of each chapter. This book is a clear and very useful addition to the perplexing topic of human rights protection in Europe, and a signpost for the way forward in the debate. Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, Common Market Law Review

By innovatively comparing this architecture with the United States Federal System, the book advances an analytical model that systematically explains the dynamics at play within the European multilevel human rights architecture. The book however also goes beyond simple theory and tests the model of challenges and transformations by examining four very interesting and extremely relevant case studies. In the end, a 'neo-federal' theory is proposed that is able to frame the dilemmas of 'identity, equality, and supremacy' behind this multilevel architecture in Europe. -Shavana Musa, New Books in Law

Author Information

Federico Fabbrini is an Assistant Professor of European & Comparative Constitutional Law with a PhD from European University Institute. His main areas of research are federalism, fundamental rights, separation of powers, economic governance, and global constitutionalism.

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