The Autonomy of the Åland Islands

Gudmundur Alfredsson, S.J.D. (1982), Harvard Law School, is Senior Associate of the Stefansson Arctic Institute in Iceland. Göran Lindholm, LL.B., former Legal Director at Åland Lagting and Head of Administration at Åland Government.

Contents


Notes on Contributors


Introduction


 Gudmundur Alfredsson and Göran Lindholm





1 The Åland Islands Autonomy Paradox


 Bjarne Lindström





2 Constitutional Status of the Åland Islands: Expectations and Demands


 Göran Lindholm





3 The Legislative Control of Åland Laws


 Göran Lindholm





4 Legislative Competence in Matters Not Mentioned in Enumerations


 Markku Suksi





5 Finland’s Specific Obligations Relating to Åland’s Autonomy under International and National Law


 Lauri Hannikainen





6 International Procedural Safeguards for the Åland Islands’ Autonomy? Some Reflections on the (Re-)Activation of a League of Nations Mechanism


 Rainer Hofmann and Moritz Malkmus





7 On the Expression “The Special Status of Åland under International Law” – a Formula with Potential


 Ove Bring





8 The Demilitarisation and Neutralisation of the Åland Islands: Customary Law Aspects


 Allan Rosas





9 The Right of Self-Determination of Peoples in the Light of the Åland Islands Agreement


 The Jurisprudence of the Human Rights Committee and Other Bodies


 Alfred de Zaya’s





10 International Standards on Minority Autonomy


 Gudmundur Alfredsson





11 Minorities and Group Rights


 Human Rights Complaints at Regional Organisations by Individuals, Groups and or Other States – the Council of Europe


 Fredrik Sundberg





12 A Short Exploration of the Nexus of Autonomy, Culture & Security


 Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark





13 Autonomy from an OSCE Perspective: Updating an Earlier Optimistic Picture


 Lars-Erik Lundin





14 The Åland Islands and European Union Law: Current Issues and Perspectives


 Rainer Hofmann, Alexander Heger and Moritz Malkmus





15 Autonomy Representation in the European Parliament, Council and Commission


 Julia Lindholm and Elisabeth F. Rasmussen





16 Access to and Relevant International Issues at the Council of Europe and the Organisation of Security and Co-Operation in Europe


 Krzysztof Drzewicki





17 The Right to Language in International Human Rights Law: Åland Islands and Other Finnish Minorities


 Reetta Toivanen





18 Language Discrimination in Europe – Surprisingly Strict and Promising Lessons from Finland


 Axel Hjo





19 International Relations of the Åland Islands


 Assessments and Ambitions as Expressed by the Parliament’s Autonomy Committee


 Susann Simolin





20 Military Service and NATO Membership


 Gun-Mari Lindholm





21 Åland: Sport Organisations and Sport Events


 Bogi Eliasen





22 The Stalled Faroese Constitutional Project: Lessons to Be Learned


 Bárður Larsen





Bibliography


Selected Instruments


Index