Review of the Opinion 2/15 of the Court of Justice of the European Union

Abstract

Opinion 2/15 of the Court of Justice of the European Union on EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement is important since it determines the EU competence and conclusion procedure of similar new generation trade agreements. This paper aims to analyse the effects of the Opinion 2/15 on EU’s competence to conclude international agreements, conclusion of similar agreements and Modernisation of the Customs Union between Turkey and the EU. It is concluded that Court’s broad interpretation of the EU’s exclusive competence strengthens EU’s external power legally, through providing the opportunity to ratify international agreements alone; but it creates new ambiguities about the EU’s competence on investments. Regarding to the Customs Union, inclusion of the subjects of the revision negotiations to the EU’s exclusive competences, is evaluated as a positive development in terms of legal certainty

Keywords

• Court of Justice of the European Union
• Opinion 2/15
• new generation trade agreements
• Turkey-European Union Relations
• Modernisation of Customs Union

Dava İncelemesi: Avrupa Birliği Adalet Divanının 2/15 Sayılı Görüşünün İncelemesi

Öz

Avrupa Birliği Adalet Divanının, Avrupa Birliği “AB” ile Singapur arasındaki Serbest Ticaret Anlaşması hakkındaki 2/15 sayılı Görüşü, AB’nin yeni nesil ticaret anlaşmalarına ilişkin yetkisini ve bu anlaşmaların akdedilme usulünü belirlemesi sebebiyle önemlidir. Bu çalışma Görüşün, Birliğin uluslararası anlaşma akdetme yetkisine, benzer anlaşmaların akdedilme sürecine ve Türkiye ile AB arasındaki Gümrük Birliğinin güncellenmesine etkilerini incelemektedir. Görüşte tanımlanan geniş münhasır yetkinin, benzer uluslararası anlaşmaların sadece AB tarafından onaylanabilmesini mümkün kılarak AB’nin dış yetkisini hukuken güçlendirdiği; fakat yatırımlara ilişkin AB yetkisi ile ilgili yeni belirsizlikleri doğurduğu sonucuna varılmıştır. Gümrük Birliği açısından ise güncelleme çalışmaları kapsamındaki konuların AB’nin münhasır yetkisi kapsamında sayılması bu alanlarda hukuki belirlilik sağlaması nedeniyle olumlu bir gelişme olarak değerlendirilmiştir

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Avrupa Birliği Adalet Divanı
• 2/15 sayılı Görüş
• yeni nesil ticaret anlaşmaları
• Türkiye – Avrupa Birliği İlişkileri
• Gümrük Birliğinin Güncellenmesi

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