INTER-STATE DECENTRALIZATION VS. INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION: SCOTLAND’S EXAMPLE

The article provides a brief overview of the history of devolution in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland using the example of the creation and development of devolved authorities in Scotland. Both similarities and differences of the concept of «devolution» inherent in British politics and law with the more common term «decentralization of state power» are indicated. The author notes the significance of the scope of powers that devolved authorities were given, as well as the individualization of this volume for each single region. An analysis of the normative legal acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, issued from 1998 to 2016 and defining the status of Scottish authorities, is given, with special attention being paid to the unsuccessful devolution attempt undertaken in 1978–1979. At the same time, the role of the United Kingdom’s membership (until 2020) in the Single Market of the European Union and the resulting effect of the norms of international law in force on  the territories of all member States of the European Union, limiting the consequences of decentralization and preventing the collapse of the single economic and political space, is being assessed. The author notes that the main difference between unitary and federal states lies in the way in which powers are transferred to devolved authorities, not in their scope.