[Annotated] Britain may find it hard to escape the European Court of Justice

Every trade relationship needs an umpire^[각주:1], like it or not

The European Court of Justice (ECJ), a stately^[각주:2] place populated by^[각주:3] robed^[각주:4] judges, eager clerks^[각주:5] and artworks^[각주:6] depicting clunky^[각주:7] legal metaphors, seems an unlikely place^[각주:8] for a coup. But it is here, "tucked away^[각주:9] in the fairyland^[각주:10] Duchy^[각주:11] of Luxembourg", wrote Eric Stein, an American academic, that the court "fashioned^[각주:12] a constitutional framework for a federal-type structure in Europe". This line has resonated with^[각주:13] the many critics that the court, the supreme judicial authority^[각주:14] in the European Union, has attracted. British Eurosceptics^[각주:15] in particular have seen in the ECJ a political project shrouded in^[각주:16] legal obscurantism^[각주:17] that poses a deep threat to the ancient sovereignty of^[각주:18] their courts and MPs.

Now that Britain has voted to leave the EU, liberation from^[각주:19] the shackles of^[각주:20] Luxembourg ranks second^[각주:21] only to control of immigration in the Brexiteers'^[각주:22] hierarchy of needs^[각주:23]. That explains why Theresa May, the prime minister who will shape the terms of Britain's departure, has vowed to take the country out of the ECJ's jurisdiction^[각주:24]. "We will not have truly left the European Union," she said recently, "if we are not in control of our own laws."

In one respect, this is trivial^[각주:25]. The ECJ is the court of the EU; quitting the club means leaving the court's purview^[각주:26]. But examine another of Mrs May's stated^[각주:27] aims - to retain^[각주:28] the "greatest possible access" to the EU's single market^[각주:29] after leaving it - and her principles begin to look more like a predicament^[각주:30]. 

To understand why, consider what the court actually does. Its critics have often focused on a string of^[각주:31] rulings^[각주:32] in the 1990s that elucidated^[각주:33] and expanded the rights of Europeans to live and work across the EU. (More recently, the court has restricted EU migrants' rights to benefits.) They have watched^[각주:34] with concern^[각주:35] as EU treaties have expanded the court's responsibilities. Since 2009 the Charter of Fundamental Rights has been invoked^[각주:36] in a series of^[각주:37] data-privacy^[각주:38] cases, including the "right to be forgotten" ruling, under which individuals can force search engines to remove links to embarrassing or defamatory^[각주:39] websites. The coming weeks may see big decisions on humanitarian visas^[각주:40], religious headwear^[각주:41] at work, and EU sanctions on^[각주:42] Russian oil firms.

Less well known^[각주:43] is the regular churn of^[각주:44] ECJ rulings that keep the EU's single market chugging along^[각주:45], including the right to trade as freely across borders as within them. The 1963 Van Gend en Loos case, beloved by^[각주:46] EU law students, involved a Dutch haulage^[각주:47] firm hit with duties on imports from West Germany. Later came a crucial ruling obliging^[각주:48] West Germany to let a French blackcurrant^[각주:49] liqueur^[각주:50] be marketed^[각주:51] as such. Such prosaic^[각주:52] cases hardly resonate with citizens the way Supreme Court rulings like Roe v Wade do in the United States. But they helped build the single market, still the EU's singular achievement, as much as any law or treaty^[각주:53]. 

This market is so important that the court's ruling extend deeply even into non-EU countries that seek close access to it. "The influence of our case law on^[각주:54] third partners is very, very big," says Koen Lenaerts, the president of the ECJ. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, the three non-EU members of the European Economic Area, are governed by rulings of the EFTA court, which closely follows the ECJ. Swiss law is nominally^[각주:55] independent, but in practice^[각주:56] courts tend to track^[각주:57] Luxembourg because Switzerland is so deeply integrated into^[각주:58] EU markets. Voters periodically^[각주:59] grumble about the influence of "foreign judges". But no Swiss government has seen fit to^[각주:60] do anything about them.

What does all this mean for Britain? It depends on the trade deal^[각주:61] Mrs May secures^[각주:62] with the EU, but anything short of autarky^[각주:63] means the country will never be entirely free from the court's clutches^[각주:64]. At a minimum^[각주:65], any British firm trading with^[각주:66] the EU will need to understand relevant^[각주:67] ECJ rulings. Companies doing business in the single market must abide by^[각주:68] EU competition rules^[각주:69], as American giants like Microsoft and Google have learned. The ECJ will probably supervise^[각주:70] any post-Brexit transitional^[각주:71] arrangements^[각주:72]. And it can be called on to^[각주:73] scrutinize^[각주:74] any trade deal signed by the EU. Mr Lenaerts has said there are "many different ways" in which his court might be asked to confront^[각주:75] Brexit.

But Mrs May's "greatest possible access" implies something more. The closer the trading relationship, the more need for harmonized or mutually recognized^[각주:76] regulations^[각주:77] and a body to oversee it all. The ECJ supervises the European Common Aviation Area^[각주:78], for example, which opens European skies to all-comers^[각주:79]. Someone will have to monitor^[각주:80] the legal "equivalence^[각주:81]" that would allow British financial-services firms to trade inside the single market. And although Mrs May's misnamed^[각주:82] "Great Repeal^[각주:83] Bill" will incorporate the entire acquis^[각주:84] into^[각주:85] British law after Brexit to ensure legal continuity^[각주:86], "EU law is premised on the EU system of remedies," notes Catherine Barnard, a law professor at Cambridge University. Luxembourg may not be so easy to shake off^[각주:87].

Booing^[각주:88] the referee 

Mrs May's government accepts the need for some sort of dispute-resolution^[각주:89] mechanism. But the relevant section in its White Paper, the best guide there is to British priorities, "lacks any real content^[각주:90]," says Ms Barnard. No option looks ideal. Joining the EFTA court, as its president has urged^[각주:91], would break the spirit of Mrs May's pledge^[각주:92] to quit ECJ jurisdiction^[각주:93]. The EU is sick of the complexity of the Swiss deal and will hesitate to^[각주:94] do anything similar in its legal arrangements with third parties^[각주:95]. And any attempt to create a new sort of judicial^[각주:96] tribunal^[각주:97] risks incurring^[각주:98] the wrath of the ECJ itself. The court has been known to strike down^[각주:99] attempts by EU governments to set up alternative centers of legal power.

By the end of^[각주:100] March, Mrs May will trigger^[각주:101] Article^[각주:102] 50 of the EU treaty, kicking off^[각주:103] two years of Brexit negotiations. As the talks proceed, the crystalline^[각주:104] certainties^[각주:105] of the Brexit campaign will give way to^[각주:106] difficult trade-offs^[각주:107] and hard choices. Some think the prime minister's insistence on^[각주:108] ditching^[각주:109] the Luxembourg court may start to look a little rash^[각주:110]. Britain may think it has lost interest in the ECJ. But the court may well retain^[각주:111] an interest in Britain.

1. umpire ; [명사] (또한 美 비격식 ump) 테니스・야구 경기 등의 심판, 참고 referee [본문으로]
2. stately ; 1. 위풍당당한, 위엄 있는 [본문으로]
3. populate ; 1. [흔히 수동태로] (어떤 지역의 주민으로) 살다, 거주하다 [본문으로]
4. robe ; [타동사][VN] [주로 수동태로] (격식) 가운[예복]을 입히다 [본문으로]
5. clerk ; 2. (의회・법원 등의) 서기 ;; 참고 county clerk, parish clerk, clerk of works [본문으로]
6. artwork ; 1. [U] 도판, 삽화 2. [C] (특히 박물관의) 미술품 [본문으로]
7. clunky ; [형용사] (비격식 특히 美) 투박한 [본문으로]
8. unlikely place ; 예상하지 못한 곳 [본문으로]
9. tuck away ; 사람들이 붐비지 않는[한적한] 곳에 위치하다 [본문으로]
10. fairyland ; 1. [U] 요정의 나라 2. [sing.] 무릉도원[동화의 나라] 같은 곳 [본문으로]
11. duchy ; [명사] (duke・dom) pl. -ies 공작(duke) 영지 [본문으로]
12. fashion ; [타동사][VN] ~ A (from/out of B) | ~ B (into A) (특히 손으로) 만들다[빚다] [본문으로]
13. resonate with ; (어떤 기운·느낌으로) 가득하다 [본문으로]
14. judicial authority ; 사법 기관 [본문으로]
15. eurosceptic ; [명사] 유럽 연합 통합 회의론자(특히 영국 정치인) [본문으로]
16. shroud ; 2. (정보 등을) 감추다[가리다] [본문으로]
17. obscurantism ; [U] (격식) 반계몽주의 [본문으로]
18. sovereignty ; 2. (국가의) 자주[독립] [본문으로]
19. liberation from ; …로부터의 해방. [본문으로]
20. shackles ; 2. ~ (of sth) (격식) (비유적으로) 족쇄, (말・행동의) 구속[제약] [본문으로]
21. rank ; 1. GIVE POSITION | ~ (sb) (as sth) (등급・등위・순위를) 매기다[평가하다]; (등급・등위・순위를) 차지하다 [본문으로]
22. Brexiteer ; Brexit + -er(사람 접미어)로 영국이 유럽 연합을 탈퇴하는 것을 찬성하는 사람들을 일컫는다. [본문으로]
23. hierarchy of needs ; [명사] (경영) 욕구계층 (설), 욕구 5단계(설) ;; 동의어 need hierarchy [본문으로]
24. jurisdiction ; 1. [U , C] ~ (over sb/sth) | ~ (of sb/sth) (to do sth) 관할권; 사법권 [본문으로]
25. trivial ; [형용사] 사소한, 하찮은 [본문으로]
26. purview ; 1. 이해의 범위; 시계(視界), 시야 2. (활동·직권·관리 등의) 범위, 영역, 권한 3. (법) 법전의 본문, 조항 [본문으로]
27. stated ; 2. 공식의, 공인된; 명백히 규정된 [본문으로]
28. retain ; 1. (계속) 유지[보유]하다 [본문으로]
29. single market ; [명사] (주로 단수로) (경제) 단일 시장(권) (상품, 자본, 인력의 국가 간 이동에 제약이 거의 붙지 않는, 여러 국가들로 이뤄진 시장권) [본문으로]
30. predicament ; [명사] 곤경, 궁지 [본문으로]
31. a string of ; 여러 개의, 일련의[연이은] 히트곡[히트 작품] [본문으로]
32. ruling ; [명사] ~ (on sth) (특히 판사의) 결정, 판결 [본문으로]
33. elucidate ; (격식) (더 자세히) 설명하다 [본문으로]
34. watch ; 1. (시간과 관심을 기울이며) 보다, 지켜보다, 주시하다 [본문으로]
35. with concern ; 염려, 우려 하여 [본문으로]
36. invoke ; 1. ~ sth (against sb) (법・규칙 등을) 들먹이다[적용하다] [본문으로]
37. a series of ; 일련의 [본문으로]
38. data privacy ; 데이터 개인정보 [본문으로]
39. defamatory ; [형용사] (격식) 말이나 글이 중상하는, 명예를 훼손하는 [본문으로]
40. humanitarian visa ; Humanitarian visas are granted by some countries to fulfill their international obligation to protecting refugees from persecution. The Convention relating to the Status of Refugees is often used as the main criteria in assessing whether or not there is a legitimate claim for protection. [본문으로]
41. headwear ; a hat or other covering for the head [본문으로]
42. sanction ; 1. [C] [주로 복수로] ~ (against sb) 제재 [본문으로]
43. less well known ; 그리 유명하지 않은 [본문으로]
44. churn ; 1. (버터를 만드는) 교유기 ;; [명사] (신조어) 서비스 제공자를 바꾸는 고객 ;; 흐름상 "ECJ의 영향력, 역할" 을 의미 하는 것으로 보임 [본문으로]
45. chug along ; to make steady but slow progress [본문으로]
46. belove ; [동사] (수동형으로) …을 사랑하다 [of, by]. [본문으로]
47. haulage ; [U] (英) (도로・철도에 의한) 화물 수송; 수송비 [본문으로]
48. oblige ; 1. [타동사][VN to inf] [주로 수동태로] 의무적으로[부득이] …하게 하다 [본문으로]
49. blackcurrant ; 까막까치밥나무 (열매) [본문으로]
50. liqueur ; [명사] 리큐어(달고 과일 향이 나기도 하는 독한 술. 보통 식후에 아주 작은 잔으로 마심) [본문으로]
51. market ; [타동사][VN] ~ sth (to sb) (as sth) (상품을) 내놓다[광고하다]; (소비자의 기호에 맞도록) 내놓다 ;; 참고 marketing [본문으로]
52. prosaic ; (보통 못마땅함) 2. 따분한, 세속적인 [본문으로]
53. treaty ; [명사] pl. -ies 조약 [본문으로]
54. case law ; [명사] (법률) 판례법 ;; 참고 common law, statute law, test case [본문으로]
55. nominally ; [부사] 명목[명의]상; [문장 전체를 수식하여] 명목상은 [본문으로]
56. in practice ; 실제는 [본문으로]
57. track ; 3. FOLLOW | (진행・전개 과정을) 추적하다 [본문으로]
58. integrate ; 1. ~ (A) (into/with B) | ~ A and B 통합시키다[되다] [본문으로]
59. periodically ; [부사] 정기[주기]적으로 [본문으로]
60. see fit (to do sth) ; (~하는 것이) 맞다고 보다; (~하기로) 결정[선택]하다 [본문으로]
61. trade deal ; (politics) An agreement between two or more countries, often in the form of a treaty, establishing the conditions under which products from each country may be exported to the other. [본문으로]
62. secure ; 1. GET STH | ~ sth (for sb/sth) | ~ sb sth (격식) (특히 힘들게) 얻어 내다, 획득[확보]하다 [본문으로]
63. autarky ; [명사] [U] 경제적 자급 자족(self-sufficiency); 경제 자립 정책 [본문으로]
64. clutch ; 4. [pl.] clutches (비격식) (세력의) 손아귀 [본문으로]
65. at a minimum ; 최소한도로 [본문으로]
66. trade with ; …와 무역[거래]하다. [본문으로]
67. relevant ; 1. (논의 중인 주제・생각하는 상황과 밀접하게) 관련 있는, 적절한 [본문으로]
68. abide by ; [동사] (법률·합의 등을) 따르다, 준수하다, 지키다; …에 따라 행동하다, 감수하다. ;; 동의어 comply with, observe. [본문으로]
69. competition rule ; 경쟁 규약, 경기 규칙 [본문으로]
70. supervise ; 감독[지휘/지도]하다 [본문으로]
71. transitional ; [형용사] 변천하는; 과도적인, 과도기의 [본문으로]
72. arrangement ; 3. [C , U] ~ (with sb) (to do sth) 합의, 협의 [본문으로]
73. be called on to ; …할 필요가 있다, …해야 하다 [본문으로]
74. scrutinize ; [타동사][VN] 세심히 살피다, 면밀히 조사[검토]하다 [본문으로]
75. confront ; 2. (문제나 곤란한 상황에) 맞서다 [본문으로]
76. mutually recognized ; 상호 인정, 확인된 [본문으로]
77. regulation ; 1. [C] [주로 복수로] 규정 [본문으로]
78. common aviation area ; 공동항공지역 [본문으로]
79. all-comers ; [명사] (참가) 희망자 전원, [복수형 명사] 오는 사람 전부, (특히 경기(競技)에) 불쑥 뛰어든 참가자. [본문으로]
80. monitor ; 1. (긴 기간을 두고 무엇의 전개・발달 과정을) 추적 관찰하다 [본문으로]
81. equivalence ; 1. (가치·힘·양이) 같음, 등가, 동량 [본문으로]
82. misname ; [타동사][VN] [주로 수동태로] 이름을 잘못 붙이다[부르다] [본문으로]
83. repeal ; [noun] the act of repealing; revocation; abrogation. ;; [타동사][VN] (법률을) 폐지하다 [본문으로]
84. acquis ; The accumulated legislation, legal acts, and court decisions which constitute the total body of EU law. [본문으로]
85. incorporate ~ into ; …에 통합시키다, ~을 작품에 포함, 첨가시키다 [본문으로]
86. continuity ; 2. [U , C] (논리적) 연속성[연관성] [본문으로]
87. shake off ; 떨치다, 따돌리다 [본문으로]
88. boo ; (우우하고) 야유하다 [본문으로]
89. dispute resolution ; 분쟁 조정, 처리 [본문으로]
90. real content ; (경영) 실제함량 [본문으로]
91. urge ; 2. [타동사][VN] ~ sth (on/upon sb) 강력히 권고[촉구]하다 [본문으로]
92. pledge ; 1. ~ (to do sth) (굳은) 약속, 맹세, 서약 [본문으로]
93. jurisdiction ; [U , C] ~ (over sb/sth) | ~ (of sb/sth) (to do sth) 관할권; 사법권 [본문으로]
94. hesitate to ; ~하는 것을 망설이다, 주저하다 [본문으로]
95. third party ; [명사] (격식 또는 법률) 제삼자 [본문으로]
96. judicial ; [형용사] (주로 명사 앞에 씀) 사법[재판]의 [본문으로]
97. tribunal ; [C+sing./pl. v.] (특별한 문제를 다루는) 재판소, 법원, 조사[심사] 위원회 ;; 참고 industrial tribunal [본문으로]
98. incur ; (격식) 1. (좋지 못한 상황을[에]) 초래하다[처하게 되다] [본문으로]
99. strike down ; ~를 쓰러뜨리다[~의 목숨을 앗아 가다], 폐지하다 [본문으로]
100. by the end of ; ~끝 무렵에 [본문으로]
101. trigger ; 2. (장치를) 작동시키다 [본문으로]
102. article ; 2. (법률) (합의서・계약서의) 조항 [본문으로]
103. kick off ; (토론·회의·행사 등을) 시작하다 [본문으로]
104. crystalline ; 2. (격식) 수정같이 맑은 [본문으로]
105. certainty ; 1. [C] 확실한 것 [본문으로]
106. give way to ; (특히 감정에) 못 이기다[무너지다], …에 굽히다. [본문으로]
107. tradeoff ; [명사] 거래, 교환 (협정) ;; trade-off ; [명사] ~ (between sth and sth) (서로 대립되는 요소 사이의) 균형 [본문으로]
108. insistence on ; …을 주장. [본문으로]
109. ditch ; 1. [타동사][VN] (비격식) (더 이상 원치 않거나 불필요한 것을) 버리다; (교제하던 사람을) 차 버리다 [본문으로]
110. rash ; 2. [sing.] ~ (of sth) 많음; 다발, 빈발 [본문으로]
111. retain ; 1. (계속) 유지[보유]하다 [본문으로]