The Benes Decrees and the Accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union

The thesis examines the Benes decrees and the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union. The paper focuses on legal issues concerning compatibility of the legal order of the Czech Republic, having the Benes decrees as its integral part, with so called acquis communautaire -- legal order of the European Union. The thesis aims to answer the question of what legal issues challenged the readiness of the Czech republic to join the European Union. The first chapter explaines the term Benes decrees and defines which decrees are relevant to the accession to the EU. The following chapter focuses on the role of the Benes decrees in the Czech legal order as well as on the conditions for EU membership. The last chapter compares four legal opinions concerning the Benes decrees and their compatibility with acquis communautaire. In conclusion, the thesis provides an answer to the research question as set down in the introduction