Stephanie FitzPatrick
Research Area: EU Rule of Law
Email: stephanie.fitzpatrick1@ucdconnect.ie
Supervisor: Prof Laurent Pech
Thesis title: An Examination of the European Commission’s Use of the EU Infringement Procedure in Enforcing the Rule of Law
Abstract
This research will examine the role that the European Union infringement procedure has played in addressing systemic violations of the rule of law occurring within EU Member States from 2010 onwards. Moreover, this research will highlight ways that the use of the infringement procedure could be altered moving forward, to ensure its strengthened use in the enforcement of the rule of law within the EU legal order.
Under Article 2 TEU, the EU is founded upon core values of importance, including the rule of law. In response to systemic rule of law backsliding within various Member States over the last 15 years, the EU has developed numerous tools to address widespread violations of this core value. However, the role of the EU's pre-existing enforcement mechanisms should not be overlooked. Notably, the EU infringement action, within Articles 258-260 TFEU, is a prominent instrument for the centralised enforcement of Union law. This research will examine the role that infringement proceedings have played in enforcing the rule of law, while also looking ahead at future best practices.
Biography
Stephanie is a PhD Candidate at Sutherland School of Law, University College Dublin. She is the recipient of the Sutherland School of Law Doctoral Scholarship 2023. Stephanie’s primary research area relates to the enforcement of the rule of law at EU level. More broadly her research interests include EU constitutional law and EU fundamental rights law. She currently acts as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the Sutherland School of Law.
Stephanie holds an Advanced Masters LL.M. in International and European Public Law from KU Leuven Belgium, where she graduated ‘cum laude’ in 2022. She also holds a Bachelor of Civil Laws (Law with Politics) from UCD Sutherland School of Law, graduating with First Class Honours (1:1) in 2021. Having a strong interest in EU law and policy, Stephanie previously completed a Schuman Traineeship within the European Parliament’s Legislative Affairs Unit. She has also been employed as an Administrative Officer in the Irish Revenue Commissioners.
Research funding/awards
UCD Sutherland School of Law Doctoral Scholarship 2023-2027
Publications
Democracy Reporting International, European Implementation Network, 'Justice Delayed and Justice Denied: Non-implementation of European Courts Judgments and the Rule of Law' (2024) - contributed as national expert
Stephanie FitzPatrick, ‘The Use of the Charter within Infringement Proceedings: An Effective Mechanism for Fundamental Rights Protection?’ (2022) European Public Law: EU eJournal Vol 19, Issue 103, December 02, 2022. (opens in a new window)https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4262842
Conferences
‘Enforcing EU Values: The role of the Charter of Fundamental Rights within EU Infringement Proceedings’ - University of Edinburgh Europa Institute Ph.D. Workshop on EU Values in Law and Policy (2-3 May 2024).
‘The role of the Charter of Fundamental Rights within EU Infringement Proceedings’ - UCD Sutherland School of Law Ph.D. Workshop (20 May 2024).
Contributed to work presented by Prof Imelda Maher at the UCD Centre for Constitutional Studies Issues in Public Law Conference – ‘Preliminary References and What Happens Next’ (29 May 2024).
‘Enforcing EU Values: The role of Infringement Proceedings in upholding Fundamental Rights and Beyond’ - RESHUFFLE Young Scholars Workshop, KU Leuven Institute for European Law (4 October 2024).