Interes państwa a prawo do nazwiska w świetle prawa międzynarodowego i unijnego

The paper focuses on the interest of the state to regulate acquisition, change and use of names of its nationals on the one hand and the person’s right to a name on the other hand. The main functions of the name are identification and individualization of a person. This can be difficult because the substantive rules relating to acquisition and alteration of a name or conflict of law rules in this regard in different countries are different. Furthermore, the impact on issues regarding the names have international agreements, in particular those relating to human rights and conventions concluded under the auspices of the International Commission on Civil Status. In the European Union determining a person's name must also comply with the rights and freedoms granted to citizens of the EU. Of particular importance in this regard are decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union.