Jonathan Faull has held the post of director-general of the European Commission’s Justice, Freedom and Security department since 15 March 2003. He gives toEuropolitics his vision of this policy area.  

EU law was originally more focused on the internal market. Will we witness a rise of European civil law, such as family law or intellectual property law?

Yes, this is definitely one of the directions EU law is taking. Justice and Home Affairs has emerged in recent years as an important policy domain on the European agenda. Civil law questions are becoming more important as Europeans and their businesses interact with each other. Similarly, the single market, globalisation and world market developments have made intellectual property an issue of growing importance.

How can European competition law respond to the growing challenges of globalisation?

As markets become more international in scope, more mergers and acquisitions require European attention and more cooperation is needed with competition authorities around the world.

If the EU Court of Justice is becoming more powerful, is it because European law is developing or is it the result of an absence of EU initiatives?

The more laws and member states there are, the greater the responsibilities of the EU become and the more we need a court giving authoritative rulings to ensure justice and consistency. So the Court’s role is very important. That said, it has been important since the EU started back in the 1950s. Its role in interpreting treaty rules and legislation is crucial. A political-legal system with so many participants and languages needs a court to provide coherence. Meanwhile, EU initiatives are certainly not “absent”.

Can we speak about a ‘European rule of law’?

Yes, definitely. It is a great originality and success of the EU to have created a unique system of international cooperation with sharing of sovereignty under the rule of law. The ‘European rule of law’ is the cement that holds the Union together.