Kulabukhova A. The Institute of the European Union Citizenship (General Theoretical Survey).

The thesis is devoted to general theoretical research of the European Union Citizenship as a political and legal phenomenon, that reflects the specifics of the legal status of a person in terms of the European integration. The preconditions of introduction of the Union citizenship are determined and periods of its development are provided. The legal nature of the EU citizenship as a multifaceted category is lied down. The peculiarities of this institute, which distinguish it from national citizenship of the state and allow characterizing it as a new type of citizenship (sui generis) are determined. The scope of certain rights of the European Union due to the principles of the EU citizenship, EU legal acts and their interpretation in the case law of the EU courts is established. The particularities of the mechanism of ensuring the rights of the EU citizens on the supranational and national levels are determined. General trends of the institute of the EU citizenship development due to the case law of the Court of Justice are ascertained.