Issue: № 1, 2026
Doi: https://doi.org/10.37634/efp.2026.1.11
Introduction. One of the most significant and unique politico-legal phenomena in contemporary international relations is European integration. This process has resulted in the creation of the European Union (EU), a supranational entity currently comprising 27 member states and serving as a powerful geopolitical center of the modern world. European integration from its inception (with the establishment of the three European Communities in 1951–1957) was characterized by a high level of legal regulation. Consequently, the essence of this process cannot be fully understood without examining the specific phenomenon of European law, or EU law, which functions alongside national legal systems and existing international legal frameworks in Europe. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the formation and development of the mechanisms of legal responsibility of EU member states, emphasizing the evolution of EU law as an independent legal system. The study explores the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in establishing the principles of supremacy and direct effect of EU norms, which underpin both the effectiveness of EU law and the grounds for holding member states legally accountable. Results. The analysis highlights landmark CJEU cases, including Van Gend en Loos (1963), Costa v. ENEL (1964), Francovich (1991), Brasserie du Pêcheur (1996), and Köbler (2003), which collectively shaped the EU’s unique legal order and the doctrine of state liability for violations of EU law. The study examines the politico-legal instruments of accountability, particularly the application of sanctions under Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union and preventive mechanisms introduced by the Amsterdam and Nice Treaties. The practical application of these mechanisms is analyzed through cases involving Poland, Hungary, and Austria, demonstrating how political and legal instruments interact to ensure compliance with fundamental EU principles. Furthermore, the procedures under Articles 258–260 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union are investigated as effective instruments for financial and legal accountability of member states for breaches of EU law. Conclusion. The research demonstrates that the mechanisms of legal responsibility of EU member states have emerged through a gradual departure from classical international law, the development of a supranational legal order, and the strengthening of the CJEU’s role. The EU’s system uniquely combines political and legal instruments to ensure the supremacy and effectiveness of EU law, providing a framework of accountability that has no full equivalent in the global legal practice.
Keywords : European Union, European law, legal responsibility, rule of law, European integration, mechanisms of legal responsibility, effectiveness
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