A single Western Europe?

This paper reviews legal sources and court interpretations responsible for progression towards European union in 1992 as a new form of federalism which assumes the existence of divisible sovereignty. Since 1951, treaty law and a doctrine of implied powers have restricted the sovereign rights of European Community member-states and transferred to central agencies the exclusive competence to engage in an increasingly wider range of international relations no longer restricted to economic contracts and social policies. Problems of ‘mixed agreements’ and conflicts with GATT over a common commercial policy (CCP) demonstrate tensions still to be resolved as further traditional powers are surrendered during the steps following endorsement of the Single European Act (1987).