Terminological variation and conceptual divergence in EU Law

Abstract

Both terminological variation and conceptual divergence can undermine the uniform application and interpretation of EU law. However, even if terminological convergence is upheld, conceptual divergence can nevertheless be manifested in varying interpretations of EU concepts at the level of the Member States. Highlighting the distinction between terminological variation and conceptual divergence, the present chapter puts the focus of attention on the European standard of the right of withdrawal. By means of a corpus-informed and legal analysis of the terms used for the latter concept in several EU languages attempt is made to explain the multiple dimensions of EU terms, namely the phenomena of term variation and meaning modulations. It is proposed to expand the context of studying variants in EU law in regard to conceptual divergence and legal design.