Regional Citizenships and EU Law

Abstract:     
This article analyses the phenomenon of regional citizenships in the Member States of the European Union by focusing on the citizenships of the Member State territories lying (at least partially) outside the territorial scope of the acquis. It has been demonstrated that the influence of such legal status on the rights of individuals is more significant compared with citizenships of the regions lying entirely within the territorial scope of EU law. Two examples of regional citizenships are considered: the citizenship of the Åland Islands and that of New Caledonia. It is submitted that the rules on access to regional citizenships cannot discriminate on the basis of nationality, which is currently the case in both regions analysed. The analysis of regional citizenships enables the viewing of EU citizenship from a new, intriguing angle.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 18

Keywords: EU Law, Citizenship, EU Citizenship, Nationality, OCT, Overseas, France, Free Movement, Non-Discrimination, Aland, New Caledonia, Regionalism

Accepted Paper Series