Toothless European Citizenship / Šimon Uradnik

indfødsret for nationality and borgerskab for citizenship, yet the wording of Article 8 in Danish was not: Unionsborgerskab har enhver, der har indfødsret i en Medlemsstat; 21 but: Unionsborgerskab har enhver, der er statsborger i en Medlemsstat. 22 The dual utilisation of borgerskab , once in the sense of Union citizen ship, another time of the Member State’s nationality, could have been the cause for perceiving citizenship of the Union as a substitution to the nationality of a Member State and, as stated by G. de Groot: ‘[It] may perhaps partly explain the Danish fear that the creation of European citizenship could be the first step towards the decline of their own (Danish) nationality’. 23 Citizenship of the Union was therefore perceived as a ‘dangerous supplement’, 24 not only in Denmark but by national elites almost all-around the Union, which would or might eventually ‘lead to a parallel Euro-nationality’. 25 An action was nonetheless taken, again, in Denmark, where the government and opposition parties drew up a memorandum of ‘national compromise’ 26 — ‘Denmark and the Treaty on European Union’ thereby special provisions in terms of citizenship of the Union were requested. 27 In the unilateral declaration, Denmark formulated that Union citizenship ‘[does] not in any way take the place of national citizenship. The question whether an individual possesses the nationality of a Member State will be settled solely by reference to the national law 21 Translation and the draft of the author how the Treaty in Danish would be phrased: ‘Citizenship of the Union is held by anyone who possesses the nationality of a Member State’. 22 Emphasis added and translated by the author: ‘Citizenship of the Union is held by anyone who is a citizen of a Member State’. Treaty on European Union [1992] OJ C 191 TITLE II in Danish language. 23 Gerard-René de Groot, ‘Towards a European nationality law’ (2004) 8/3 Electronic Journal of Comparative Law accessed 28 th February 2023. 24 Dora Kostakopoulou, Citizenship, Identity, and Immigration in the European Union: Between Past and Future (Manchester University Press 2001) 67. 25 To that effect, see ibid 68. 26 Willem Maas, ‘European Union citizenship in retrospect and prospect’ (2014) Routledge Handbook of Global Citizenship Studies 414. 27 Aside from the defence policy, common currency, justice, and police affairs. To that effect, see ibid.

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