The anatomy of autonomy: themes and perspectives on an elusive principle

Few EU law principles have attracted as much attention in the last few years from such diverse audiences as that of autonomy. International and EU lawyers, constitutional and trade specialists, scholars and practitioners, decision-makers and the civil society have all been exercised by the implications that the principle of autonomy has in areas that range from the protection of fundamental human rights to investment arbitration. This paper aims to reflect on the scope and legal implications of autonomy in two way. First, it will step back and tease out four themes that emerge from the origins and development of the principle. It will, then, look forward by identifying three perspectives which are central not only to the position of the principle in the light of the recent Opinion 1/17 on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada, but also to its further evolution as a significant part of the fabric of the EU’s constitutional order