Kaupa, Clemens --- "The pluralist socio-economic character of the European Treaties" [2018] ELECD 397; in Davies, Gareth; Avbelj, Matej (eds), "Research Handbook on Legal Pluralism and EU Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018) 257

Book Title: Research Handbook on Legal Pluralism and EU Law

Editor(s): Davies, Gareth; Avbelj, Matej

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN: 9781786433084

Section: Chapter 15

Section Title: The pluralist socio-economic character of the European Treaties

Author(s): Kaupa, Clemens

Number of pages: 32

Abstract/Description:

It is sometimes argued that the European Union facilitates outcomes conforming to a specific socioeconomic paradigm. The present text addresses the (narrow) legal question whether the European Treaties prescribe the adoption of policies in line with a specific worldview. Based on a textual, historical and functional interpretation of the European Treaties, it is argued that this is not the case. Instead, the Treaties must be understood as pluralist in the light of competing socioeconomic paradigms; this means that, in principle, a broad spectrum of socioeconomic policies could be pursued within its framework.