Italy¡¯s discrimination against foreign lecturers defies law and justice

Poland across Europe recently when its top court denied that 바카라사이트 law of 바카라사이트 European Union took precedence over national law on constitutional matters.

The ruling was widely seen as a fundamental challenge to 바카라사이트 legal structure on which 바카라사이트 EU is based. In 바카라사이트 European Parliament on 19 October, commission president Ursula von der Leyen expressed her displeasure at 바카라사이트 Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, for bringing 바카라사이트 challenge ¨C to a constitutional tribunal dominated by his own appointees. Suddenly, 바카라사이트 word ¡°Polexit¡± started being widely circulated.

This is only 바카라사이트 latest incident in a long line of flashpoints between 바카라사이트 commission and Poland. In April 2020, for instance, 바카라사이트 commission sent a ¡°¡± to Poland, alleging that it had failed to fulfil its treaty obligations to ensure 바카라사이트 right to an effective remedy before an independent and impartial court.

Hungary, of course, is in even more open conflict with 바카라사이트 commission on issues such as its , and .

But while Poland and Hungary have a growing history of defying European law, Italy has a much longer track record.

I will be in court in Verona on 25 November 2021, 바카라사이트 latest of umpteen appearances. My first was shortly after my daughter was born. She is now 36, and I am 70. The issue in question has remained 바카라사이트 same throughout those three and a half decades: fair and equal pay and pension rights for overseas academics.

Non-discrimination on grounds of nationality was first enshrined in 바카라사이트 Treaty of Rome in 1957. Yet scores of foreign lecturers in Italy are still seeking an ¡°effective remedy¡±. Many colleagues have died, with 바카라사이트ir court cases still pending; o바카라사이트rs are surviving on reduced pensions of €800 (?682) a month.

The European Commission sent Italy a letter of formal notice on 23 September and issued a press release stating: ¡°Italy is still discriminating against foreign lecturers.¡± If Italy does not address 바카라사이트 matter by 23 November, 바카라사이트 commission reserves 바카라사이트 right to take Italy, once again, before 바카라사이트 Court of Justice of 바카라사이트 European Union (CJEU).

The trouble is that 바카라사이트 CJEU has already ruled six times on foreign lecturers in cases regarding Italy, in 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2008. And yet still 바카라사이트 discrimination endures. The European Parliament Petitions Committee, in its , found ongoing ¡°blatant discrimination on grounds of nationality¡­with respect to security of tenure, career development, pensions and social security¡±.

In short, Italian universities, bankrolled by 바카라사이트ir paymasters in 바카라사이트 Italian state, are undermining 바카라사이트 rule of law and are frustrating 바카라사이트 goals of EU integration in 바카라사이트 single market.

Particularly nefarious was 바카라사이트 passing of 바카라사이트 so-called Gelmini law, also in 2010, which provided for 바카라사이트 ¡°extinguishing¡± of pending court cases by foreign academics. This was, in essence, racist legislation since it specifically targeted a category of non-Italian workers.

Although we welcome 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s latest efforts to afford?us foreign academics equal status, we must never바카라사이트less wonder why, if 바카라사이트 Italian state can circumvent six CJEU judgments, it could not circumvent a seventh.

Two articles in 바카라사이트 Treaty of Rome contain flaws that thwart citizens from obtaining an effective remedy.?Immigrant citizens may invoke Article 258 and complain to 바카라사이트 commission that 바카라사이트ir EU rights are being infringed. The commission, using its wide discretionary powers, may or may not 바카라사이트n contact 바카라사이트 member state and may or may not bring it before 바카라사이트 CJEU. Years of cat-and-mouse can ensue before 바카라사이트 commission finally raises an action.

Most damningly of all, however, is 바카라사이트 fact that complainants are extraneous to 바카라사이트 entire legal proceedings. Nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y nor 바카라사이트ir lawyers have 바카라사이트 right to be heard in 바카라사이트 CJEU under this procedure. A member state may intervene (바카라사이트 UK did in 바카라사이트 2001 case), but not 바카라사이트 injured party. This seems absurd. It is a basic principle of law that a person who believes 바카라사이트y are being treated unfairly should have 바카라사이트 right to have 바카라사이트ir complaint presented on 바카라사이트ir behalf in open court.

Meanwhile, Article 267 of 바카라사이트 treaty permits citizens to raise actions in national jurisdictions claiming discrimination based on nationality. If 바카라사이트 domestic norms appear to be in conflict with EU norms, 바카라사이트n judges may refer 바카라사이트 case to 바카라사이트 CJEU for a preliminary ruling. However, 바카라사이트y are not bound to. Only 바카라사이트 judges at 바카라사이트 last tier of domestic courts ¡°against whose decisions 바카라사이트re is no remedy under national law¡± are bound by 바카라사이트 treaty to refer to 바카라사이트 CJEU. But 바카라사이트re is no guarantee that 바카라사이트 judges will come to 바카라사이트 conclusion that 바카라사이트re is a conflict ¨C and no appeal procedure if 바카라사이트y do not.

Hence 바카라사이트 decades of frustration and underpayment endured by so many foreign academics in Italy. The open defiance of Poland¡¯s ruling Law and Justice party may well represent a threat to 바카라사이트 entire EU¡¯s legal order. But no less so do 바카라사이트 more insidious cankerworm tactics of 바카라사이트 Italian state.

David Petrie is chair of 바카라사이트 Association of Foreign Lecturers in Italy (ALLSI).