Francovich and the Problem of the Disobedient State

Abstract: This paper is an attempt to evaluate the rapidly expanding line of jurisprudence which derives from Francovich and Bonifaci v Italian Republic (Cases 6, 9190). The paper argues that there is a serious mismatch between the priorities of the EC and national legal orders and that the impact of the superior order on national legal systems may be both unexpected and detrimental. Section I argues: that the theoretical underpinnings for state liability in EC law are in fact weak and raise objections of principle; that 'infection' of national liability systems by the new principle is both inevitable and problematic; and that damage may be caused to the EC liability system through 'cross-infection'. Section II argues that in the modern state, balance between the Rule of Law doctrine and principles of political and democratie supremacy are both hard to attain and inevitably the subject of controversy. This problem is heightened within the Community by the existence of competing legislative systems, lack of clarity over sovereignty and worries over democratic deficit. The contribution of Francovich to the resolution of these problems is largely negative.     

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