Strengthening the Individual’s Role in State Responsibility: European Legal Standards and Mechanisms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15294/jphi.v9i1.35461Keywords:
Civil Confiscation, Court Enforcement, International Crimes, Universal Jurisdiction, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Abstract
The article aims to analyze the strengthening of the individual’s role in addressing state wrongful acts, to trace the historical transformation of this role, and to propose mechanisms that could consolidate and institutionalize this trend. The study employs historical-legal analysis, case study review, and comparative analysis of European legal instruments and judicial practice, focusing on representative cases from the 21st century. The article distinguishes systemic shortcomings, including chronic non-compliance with judgments, political blocking of international arrest warrants, and insufficient resources for victims. The article suggests two instruments to address these deficiencies: integration of International Criminal Court warrants into the European arrest warrant system, backed by sanctions for non-execution; an automatic parliamentary cycle for implementing international court decisions through a silent consent procedure. The scientific novelty of the study lies in outlining a legal mechanism for integrating individual procedural rights into the system of international responsibility. These suggestions are legally grounded in the Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA and related EU instruments regulating judicial cooperation in criminal matters. The enforcement component can rely on targeted financial or political sanctions, such as the temporary suspension of EU funding or cooperation mechanisms, in cases of persistent non-compliance. Their feasibility is assessed in light of constitutional constraints, Member States’ competences under the Treaty on European Union, and compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights, ensuring that due process and the rule of law are fully respected. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions.
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