Trust, Rights, and Inclusion in the European Union: A Case Study of the European Arrest Warrant and the Fundamental Status of EU Citizenship
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Trust, Rights, and Inclusion in the European Union: A Case Study of the European Arrest Warrant and the Fundamental Status of EU Citizenship

Anqi Chen 1*
1 University College London
*Corresponding author: cxj1588@gmail.com
Published on 24 September 2025
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LNEP Vol.112
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-339-0
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-340-6
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Abstract

This article focuses on the two core mechanisms of the European Union - the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) and EU citizenship, dissecting the gap between the idealized assumptions based on mutual trust and equality and the reality behind them. Research has found that due to the regression of the rule of law in some member states, the EAW system faces problems such as impaired judicial independence and an imbalance in the protection of fundamental rights. The Court of Justice of the European Union has shifted to the principle of conditional trust. However, in practice, EU citizenship shows selective inclusiveness. Factors such as economic status and race lead to uneven entitlement. The experience of Romanian caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic is a case in point. The article advocates for establishing a trust review mechanism at the EU level, strengthening rights impact assessment, and promoting social policy coordination and other reforms to build a rights-based EU integration model and balance the efficiency of judicial cooperation and social inclusiveness.

Keywords:

European Arrest Warrant (EAW), EU Citizenship, Rule of Law, Selective Inclusiveness

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Chen,A. (2025). Trust, Rights, and Inclusion in the European Union: A Case Study of the European Arrest Warrant and the Fundamental Status of EU Citizenship. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,112,84-90.

References

[1]. Bondi, G. (2024). Double criminality and the European Arrest Warrant: current trends and future developments in light of the KL case. New Journal of European Criminal Law, 15(1), pp.99–113.

[2]. Graat, J., 2022. The European Arrest Warrant and EU Citizenship: EU Citizenship in Relation to Foreseeability Problems in the Surrender Procedure. Springer Nature.

[3]. Bloks, S.A. and van den Brink, T. (2021). The Impact on National Sovereignty of Mutual Recognition in the AFSJ. Case-Study of the European Arrest Warrant. German Law Journal, 22(1), pp.45-64.

[4]. Stahl, B.C., Rodrigues, R., Santiago, N. and Macnish, K., 2022. A European Agency for Artificial Intelligence: Protecting fundamental rights and ethical values. Computer Law & Security Review, 45, p.105661.

[5]. Pellonpää, M., 2022. Reflections on the principle of mutual trust in EU law and judicial dialogue in Europe. International Actors and the Formation of Laws, p.29.

[6]. Jelić, I. and Kapetanakis, D., 2021. European judicial supervision of the rule of law: the protection of the independence of national judges by the CJEU and the ECtHR. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 13(1), pp.45-77.

[7]. Gragl, P., 2023. The faceless court? The role of individual CJEU members. Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law, 30(1), pp.15-44.

[8]. Ovádek, M., 2021. Facilitating access to data on European Union laws.  Political Research Exchange,   3(1), p.1870150. https: //doi.org/10.1080/2474736X.2020.1870150

[9]. Balta, E. (2023). Populist radical right beyond Europe: The case of Islamic nativism in Turkey.  Journal of Language and Politics,   22(3), pp.378–395. https: //doi.org/10.1075/jlp.22130.bal

[10]. Lorimer, M., 2024.  Europe as ideological resource: European integration and far right legitimation in France and Italy. Oxford University Press. https: //doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198892366.001.0001

[11]. Jacobsen, C.M. and Karlsen, M.A., 2025. Vulnerability as a Globally Mobile Policy Concept in Migration Governance: A Comparative Study. International Migration Review, p.01979183251323605.

[12]. Garcia Blesa, J.J., 2024. Neoliberal rationality and the rhetoric of sacrifice in the construction of proportionality discourse: a case-study from the European Court of Human Rights.  The International Journal of Human Rights,   28(6), pp.969-994. https: //doi.org/10.1080/13642987.2024.2335533

[13]. Borchardt, K.D. and European Commission. Directorate-General Communication. (2017).  The ABC of EU law. Publications Office of the European Union. https: //op.europa.eu/en/publications

[14]. Schilling‐Vacaflor, A. and Lenschow, A., 2023. Hardening foreign corporate accountability through mandatory due diligence in the European Union? New trends and persisting challenges.  Regulation & Governance,   17(3), pp.677-693. https: //doi.org/10.1111/rego.12402

[15]. Jones, E., Daniel Kelemen, R. and Meunier, S., 2021. Failing forward? Crises and patterns of European integration. Journal of European Public Policy, 28(10), pp.1519-1536.

[16]. Ray, V., Herd, P. and Moynihan, D., 2023. Racialized burdens: Applying racialized organization theory to the administrative state. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 33(1), pp.139-152.

[17]. Barnard, C. (2022). The substantive law of the EU: the four freedoms. Oxford University Press. https: //doi.org/10.1093/he/9780192857880.001.0001

[18]. Ulceluse, M. and Bender, F., 2022. Two-tier EU citizenship: Disposable Eastern European workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Organization,   29(3), pp.449-459. https: //doi.org/10.1177/13505084211061229

[19]. Martufi, A., 2022. Effective judicial protection and the European arrest warrant: Navigating between procedural autonomy and mutual trust.  Common Market Law Review,   59(5). https: //doi.org/10.54648/cola2022095

References

[1]. Bondi, G. (2024). Double criminality and the European Arrest Warrant: current trends and future developments in light of the KL case. New Journal of European Criminal Law, 15(1), pp.99–113.

[2]. Graat, J., 2022. The European Arrest Warrant and EU Citizenship: EU Citizenship in Relation to Foreseeability Problems in the Surrender Procedure. Springer Nature.

[3]. Bloks, S.A. and van den Brink, T. (2021). The Impact on National Sovereignty of Mutual Recognition in the AFSJ. Case-Study of the European Arrest Warrant. German Law Journal, 22(1), pp.45-64.

[4]. Stahl, B.C., Rodrigues, R., Santiago, N. and Macnish, K., 2022. A European Agency for Artificial Intelligence: Protecting fundamental rights and ethical values. Computer Law & Security Review, 45, p.105661.

[5]. Pellonpää, M., 2022. Reflections on the principle of mutual trust in EU law and judicial dialogue in Europe. International Actors and the Formation of Laws, p.29.

[6]. Jelić, I. and Kapetanakis, D., 2021. European judicial supervision of the rule of law: the protection of the independence of national judges by the CJEU and the ECtHR. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 13(1), pp.45-77.

[7]. Gragl, P., 2023. The faceless court? The role of individual CJEU members. Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law, 30(1), pp.15-44.

[8]. Ovádek, M., 2021. Facilitating access to data on European Union laws.  Political Research Exchange,   3(1), p.1870150. https: //doi.org/10.1080/2474736X.2020.1870150

[9]. Balta, E. (2023). Populist radical right beyond Europe: The case of Islamic nativism in Turkey.  Journal of Language and Politics,   22(3), pp.378–395. https: //doi.org/10.1075/jlp.22130.bal

[10]. Lorimer, M., 2024.  Europe as ideological resource: European integration and far right legitimation in France and Italy. Oxford University Press. https: //doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198892366.001.0001

[11]. Jacobsen, C.M. and Karlsen, M.A., 2025. Vulnerability as a Globally Mobile Policy Concept in Migration Governance: A Comparative Study. International Migration Review, p.01979183251323605.

[12]. Garcia Blesa, J.J., 2024. Neoliberal rationality and the rhetoric of sacrifice in the construction of proportionality discourse: a case-study from the European Court of Human Rights.  The International Journal of Human Rights,   28(6), pp.969-994. https: //doi.org/10.1080/13642987.2024.2335533

[13]. Borchardt, K.D. and European Commission. Directorate-General Communication. (2017).  The ABC of EU law. Publications Office of the European Union. https: //op.europa.eu/en/publications

[14]. Schilling‐Vacaflor, A. and Lenschow, A., 2023. Hardening foreign corporate accountability through mandatory due diligence in the European Union? New trends and persisting challenges.  Regulation & Governance,   17(3), pp.677-693. https: //doi.org/10.1111/rego.12402

[15]. Jones, E., Daniel Kelemen, R. and Meunier, S., 2021. Failing forward? Crises and patterns of European integration. Journal of European Public Policy, 28(10), pp.1519-1536.

[16]. Ray, V., Herd, P. and Moynihan, D., 2023. Racialized burdens: Applying racialized organization theory to the administrative state. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 33(1), pp.139-152.

[17]. Barnard, C. (2022). The substantive law of the EU: the four freedoms. Oxford University Press. https: //doi.org/10.1093/he/9780192857880.001.0001

[18]. Ulceluse, M. and Bender, F., 2022. Two-tier EU citizenship: Disposable Eastern European workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Organization,   29(3), pp.449-459. https: //doi.org/10.1177/13505084211061229

[19]. Martufi, A., 2022. Effective judicial protection and the European arrest warrant: Navigating between procedural autonomy and mutual trust.  Common Market Law Review,   59(5). https: //doi.org/10.54648/cola2022095

Cite this article

Chen,A. (2025). Trust, Rights, and Inclusion in the European Union: A Case Study of the European Arrest Warrant and the Fundamental Status of EU Citizenship. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,112,84-90.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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Volume title: Proceedings of ICILLP 2025 Symposium: Digital Governance: Inter-Firm Coopetition and Legal Frameworks for Sustainability

ISBN: 978-1-80590-339-0(Print) / 978-1-80590-340-6(Online)
Editor: Renuka Thakore, Tonejit Gad-Harry
Conference website: https://2025.icillp.org/Bristol.html
Conference date: 18 September 2025
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.112
ISSN: 2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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