Faculty of Law Spring Term 2012 Master of Laws Thesis in Private International Law 30 ECTS Your Europe – your name? An analysis of the compatibility of Swedish private international law with European Union law in name matters Author: Linnea Håkansson Supervisor: Professor Maarit Jänterä-Jareborg 1 2 Table of Contents Relevant Provisions 6 Abbreviations 11 1 Introduction 13 1.1 One person, multiple names and EU law 13 1.2 Purpose and delimitation of the topic 15 1.3 Method and sources 16 1.4 Definitions, terminology and translations 17 1.5 Contents 18 2 What’s in a name? 19 2.1 What purpose does a person’s name serve? 19 2.2 The legal nature of names 20 2.3 The role of EU private international law 21 3 Konstantinidis: A first step 24 3.1 Facts of the case 24 3.2 The ECJ’s ruling 25 3.3 Analysis 26 3.3.1 Competence 26 3.3.2 The scope of Article 52 TEEC 27 3.3.3 Consequences for private international law rules 28 4 Garcia Avello: EU law applied broadly in a case with dual citizenship 28 4.1 Facts of the case 28 4.2 Belgian private international law and naming customs 30 4.3 The ECJ’s ruling 30 4.4 Analysis 33 4.4.1 The scope of EC law 33 4.4.2 Discrimination on grounds of nationality 35 4.4.3 Consequences for private international law rules 36 3 5 Grunkin and Paul: A situation without dual citizenship 38 5.1 Facts of the case 38 5.2 The ECJ’s ruling 39 5.3 Analysis 41 5.3.1 No dual nationality 41 5.3.2 Freedom of movement 42 5.3.3 A change of name 43 5.3.4 Consequences for private international law rules 44 6 Sayn-Wittgenstein: Public policy concerns at stake 45 6.1 Facts of the case 45 6.2 The ECJ’s ruling 47 6.3 Analysis 50 6.3.1 Limits of Article 21 TFEU 50 6.3.2 An objective consideration and proportionality 50 6.3.3 Consequences for private international law rules 52 7 Runewiecz-Wardyn: A step back 53 7.1 Facts of the case 53 7.2 The ECJ’s ruling 54 7.3 Analysis 57 7.3.1 Articles 18 and 21 TFEU 57 7.3.2 Justifications 58 7.3.3 Respect for national identity 59 7.3.4 Consequences for private international law rules 59 8 Swedish law of names 60 8.1 A change 60 8.2 General characteristics of the Names Act 61 8.3 Applicable law 62 8.4 When Swedish law is applied 65 4 8.5 Recognition of a name 68 8.5.1 Before the enactment of section 49 a 68 8.5.2 Section 49 a of the Names Act 69 9 A comparative outlook 70 9.1 Finnish law 71 9.1.1 Applicable law 71 9.1.2 Recognition of a name 72 9.2 Swiss law 73 9.2.1 Applicable law 73 9.2.2 Recognition of a name 74 10 Is Swedish law compatible with EU law? 75 10.1 An obstacle to the freedom of movement? 76 10.1.1 A recognition? 76 10.1.2 A restrictive measure? 79 10.1.3 Justified restrictions? 80 10.1.3.1 Connecting factors 80 10.1.3.2 An acquisition must have taken place 81 10.1.3.3 Family related acquisitions 82 10.1.3.4 Offensive names 84 10.1.3.5 Children under the age of 18 years 84 10.1.3.6 Nordic citizens 85 10.2 Discrimination on grounds of nationality? 85 10.2.1 Are persons with dual nationality treated differently? 85 10.2.2 Choice-of-law rules 88 11 Conclusions and final remarks 89 Bibliography 91 5 Relevant provisions The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Fördraget om Europeiska Unionens Funktionssätt) Article 181 Within the scope of application of the Treaties, and without prejudice to any special provisions contained therein, any discrimination on grounds of nationality shall be prohibited. The European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, may adopt rules designed to prohibit such discrimination. Artikel 18 Inom fördragens tillämpningsområde och utan att det påverkar tillämpningen av någon särskild bestämmelse i fördragen, ska all diskriminering på grund av nationalitet vara förbjuden. Europaparlamentet och rådet kan enligt det ordinarie lagstiftningsförfarandet anta bestämmelser i syfte att förbjuda sådan diskriminering. Article 202 1. Citizenship of the Union is hereby established. Every person holding the nationality of a Member State shall be a citizen of the Union. Citizenship of the Union shall be additional to and not replace national citizenship. 2. Citizens of the Union shall enjoy the rights and be subject to the duties provided for in the Treaties. They shall have, inter alia: (a) the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States; (b) the right to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the European Parliament and in municipal elections in their Member State of residence, under the same conditions as nationals of that State; 1 Ex Article 12 of the Treaty establishing the European Community (EC). 2 Ex Article 17 EC. 6 (c) the right to enjoy, in the territory of a third country in which the Member State of which they are nationals is not represented, the protection of the diplomatic and consular authorities of any Member State on the same conditions as the nationals of that State; (d) the right to petition the European Parliament, to apply to the European Ombudsman, and to address the institutions and advisory bodies of the Union in any of the Treaty languages and to obtain a reply in the same language. These rights shall be exercised in accordance with the conditions and limits defined by the Treaties and by the measures adopted thereunder. Artikel 20 1. Ett unionsmedborgarskap införs härmed. Varje person som är medborgare i en medlemsstat ska vara unionsmedborgare. Unionsmedborgarskapet ska komplettera och inte ersätta det nationella medborgarskapet. 2. Unionsmedborgarna ska ha de rättigheter och skyldigheter som föreskrivs i fördragen. De ska bland annat ha a) rätt att fritt röra sig och uppehålla sig inom medlemsstaternas territorier, b) rösträtt och valbarhet vid val till Europaparlamentet samt vid kommunala val i den medlemsstat där unionsmedborgaren är bosatt, på samma villkor som medborgarna i den staten, c) rätt till skydd inom ett tredjelands territorium, där den medlemsstat i vilken de är medborgare inte är representerad, av varje medlemsstats diplomatiska och konsulära myndigheter, på samma villkor som medborgarna i den staten, d) rätt att göra framställningar till Europaparlamentet och att vända sig till Europeiska ombudsmannen samt rätt att vända sig till unionens institutioner och rådgivande organ på något av fördragens språk och få svar på samma språk. Dessa rättigheter ska utövas enligt de villkor och begränsningar som fastställs i fördragen och genom de åtgärder som beslutats med tillämpning av dessa. 7 Article 213 1. Every citizen of the Union shall have the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States, subject to the limitations and conditions laid down in the Treaties and by the measures adopted to give them effect. 2. If action by the Union should prove necessary to attain this objective and the Treaties have not provided the necessary powers, the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, may adopt provisions with a view to facilitating the exercise of the rights referred to in paragraph 1. 3. For the same purposes as those referred to in paragraph 1 and if the Treaties have not provided the necessary powers, the Council, acting in accordance with a special legislative procedure, may adopt measures concerning social security or social protection. The Council shall act unanimously after consulting the European Parliament. Artikel 21 1. Varje unionsmedborgare ska ha rätt att fritt röra sig och uppehålla sig inom medlemsstaternas territorier, om inte annat följer av de begränsningar och villkor som föreskrivs i fördragen och i bestämmelserna om genomförande av fördragen. 2. Om en åtgärd från unionens sida är nödvändig för att uppnå detta mål och om inte befogenheter för detta föreskrivs i fördragen, får Europaparlamentet och rådet i enlighet med det ordinarie lagstiftningsförfarandet anta bestämmelser i syfte att underlätta utövandet av de rättigheter som avses i punkt 1. 3. I samma syften som avses i punkt 1 och om inte befogenheter för detta ändamål föreskrivs i fördragen, får rådet i enlighet med ett särskilt lagstiftningsförfarande besluta om åtgärder om social trygghet eller social skydd. Rådet ska besluta med enhällighet efter att ha hört Europaparlamentet. 3 Ex Article 18 EC. 8 The Swedish Names Act (Namnlagen SFS 1982:670) Section 49 a A person who has acquired a name in another State than Sweden within the European Economic Area or Switzerland through birth, a change of civil status or another family related relationship, has a right to acquire that name in Sweden by giving notice to the Swedish Tax Agency, if he or she at the time of the acquisition was a citizen of the other State or was habitually resident in the other State or had another special connection to the other State. Approval according to subsection 1 shall be withheld in the case a forename could cause offence or might be expected to cause embarrassment to the bearer or in the case a name for some other reason is manifestly unsuitable as a forename.