Judicial protection in the EU
Notes of JPEU 2021-2022
Table of contents
Chapter 1. The judicial system of the EU................................................................................................1
A. Construction of the EU...................................................................................................................1
B. The CJEU.........................................................................................................................................1
C. National and European judges........................................................................................................2
D. The EU Court system......................................................................................................................6
1. The system..................................................................................................................................6
2. Relevant provisions.....................................................................................................................6
3. History........................................................................................................................................7
4. Court of Justice...........................................................................................................................7
i. Composition.............................................................................................................................7
ii. Organisation............................................................................................................................8
5. General court..............................................................................................................................9
i. Composition.............................................................................................................................9
ii. Organisation............................................................................................................................9
6. Specialised courts (257 TFEU).....................................................................................................9
E. Procedure.....................................................................................................................................10
1. General.....................................................................................................................................10
2. ‘Ordinary procedure’................................................................................................................10
i. Written procedure.................................................................................................................10
ii. Oral Procedure......................................................................................................................10
iii. Intervention.........................................................................................................................11
iv. Deliberation.........................................................................................................................11
3. A judgment in a reasonable time?............................................................................................11
Chapter 2. The different remedies........................................................................................................12
Introduction......................................................................................................................................12
A. Action for infringement................................................................................................................13
1. Legal basis and description of the procedure...........................................................................13
2. Who is involved?.......................................................................................................................13
3. Which is the breach?................................................................................................................13
i. Failure to comply...................................................................................................................13
ii. Exception..............................................................................................................................13
, iii. Elements of the infringement..............................................................................................14
iv. Possible remedies................................................................................................................15
4. Who are the plaintiffs?.............................................................................................................15
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................16
i. Administrative or pre-litigation stage....................................................................................16
ii. Judicial stage:........................................................................................................................17
6. The effects of the judgment......................................................................................................18
7. The competence.......................................................................................................................19
8. Modifications of the Lisbon Treaty...........................................................................................19
B. Action for annulment...................................................................................................................19
1. Legal basis and general description of the procedure..............................................................19
2. Who is involved or which acts are targeted?............................................................................20
i. Before Lisbon.........................................................................................................................20
ii. Article 263 TFEU....................................................................................................................20
3. Which breaches of EU law?......................................................................................................20
i. Which acts can be challenged?..............................................................................................20
ii. Which grounds for annulment?............................................................................................22
4. Who can act?............................................................................................................................23
i. The super-privileged..............................................................................................................23
ii. The semi-privileged...............................................................................................................24
iii. The individuals.....................................................................................................................24
Who?....................................................................................................................................24
Requirements.......................................................................................................................25
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................28
i. Principle: time limits..............................................................................................................28
ii. Exceptions.............................................................................................................................29
6. Effects of the annulment decision............................................................................................29
7. Which is the competent Court?................................................................................................30
i. Principles................................................................................................................................30
ii. Application............................................................................................................................30
8. Lisbon Treaty............................................................................................................................31
9. Disputes between the EU and its civil servants (art. 270 TFEU)................................................31
10. Unlimited Jurisdiction (art. 261 TFEU)....................................................................................31
Summary of differences and common points of infringement procedure and annulment action 31
C. Action for failure to act.................................................................................................................32
1. Legal basis and general description of the procedure..............................................................32
, 2. Who is involved?.......................................................................................................................32
i. Before Lisbon.........................................................................................................................32
ii. Since Lisbon..........................................................................................................................33
3. Which breached of EU law?......................................................................................................33
4. Who can act?............................................................................................................................33
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................34
i. Administrative State..............................................................................................................34
ii. Judicial stage.........................................................................................................................35
6. Effects of the judgment declaring a failure to act.....................................................................35
7. Which is the competent court?................................................................................................35
D. Action for damages......................................................................................................................36
Distinction: NLEU and NLMS.........................................................................................................36
1. Legal basis and general description of the procedure..............................................................36
i. NLEU......................................................................................................................................36
ii. NLMS.....................................................................................................................................37
iii. Contractual liability..............................................................................................................37
2. Who is involved........................................................................................................................37
i. NLEU......................................................................................................................................37
ii. LNMS.....................................................................................................................................38
3. Which breaches of EU law........................................................................................................39
i. NLEU – Before Bergaderm cases............................................................................................39
Breach of EU Law..................................................................................................................39
Damage.................................................................................................................................39
Causal link.............................................................................................................................39
Examples...............................................................................................................................40
ii. NLMS – Francovich and Brasserie du Pêcheur......................................................................40
iii. NLEU – After the Bergaderm case........................................................................................42
4. Who can act?............................................................................................................................43
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................43
6. Effects of the judgment............................................................................................................43
i. NLEU......................................................................................................................................43
ii. NLMS.....................................................................................................................................43
7. Which is the competent court..................................................................................................43
E. Preliminary ruling.............................................................................................................................44
E.1 Preliminary ruling concerning the interpretation of EU law...........................................................45
1. Legal basis and description of the mechanism.............................................................................45
, 2. Who would have violated EU law?...............................................................................................45
3. Who may or shall refer a preliminary question to the ECJ?..........................................................45
i. « A court or tribunal» (Art. 267 paragraph 2)........................................................................45
ii. « of a Member State» (Art. 267 paragraph 2).......................................................................47
iii. « if it considers that a decision on the question ‘concerning the interpretation of EU law’ is
necessary to enable it to give judgment» (Art. 267 paragraph 2).............................................47
iv. May and Shall reference to the ECJ......................................................................................48
4. What can the preliminary reference relate to?........................................................................49
i. Subject matter.......................................................................................................................49
ii. Exceptions.............................................................................................................................50
5. Specific elements of the mechanism........................................................................................50
i. Before ECJ..............................................................................................................................50
ii. ECJ.........................................................................................................................................51
iii. Special procedures...............................................................................................................51
iv. Jurisdictional issues..............................................................................................................51
6. Effects of a judgment delivered under the preliminary ruling procedure.................................52
7. Which is the competent Court?................................................................................................53
8. Lisbon Treaty............................................................................................................................53
E.2 Preliminary ruling on validity of EU Law.........................................................................................53
1. Legal basis and description of the mechanism.........................................................................54
2. Which violation of EU law?.......................................................................................................54
3. Who may or shall refer a question for a preliminary ruling on the validity of EU law?.............54
4. What can the preliminary reference relate to?........................................................................54
5. Specific elements of the mechanism........................................................................................55
6. Effects of a judgment delivered under the preliminary ruling procedure.................................55
F. Objection of illegality....................................................................................................................56
1. Legal basis and general description..........................................................................................56
2. Which acts are concerned?.......................................................................................................57
i. Before the Lisbon Treaty........................................................................................................57
ii. Article 277 TFEU....................................................................................................................58
3. Which violations?......................................................................................................................58
4. Who can raise a plea of illegality?.............................................................................................58
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................59
6. Effects of the CJEU’s decision to accept the objection of illegality...........................................59
7. Which is the competent Court?................................................................................................59
8. Lisbon Treaty............................................................................................................................59
Notes of JPEU 2021-2022
Table of contents
Chapter 1. The judicial system of the EU................................................................................................1
A. Construction of the EU...................................................................................................................1
B. The CJEU.........................................................................................................................................1
C. National and European judges........................................................................................................2
D. The EU Court system......................................................................................................................6
1. The system..................................................................................................................................6
2. Relevant provisions.....................................................................................................................6
3. History........................................................................................................................................7
4. Court of Justice...........................................................................................................................7
i. Composition.............................................................................................................................7
ii. Organisation............................................................................................................................8
5. General court..............................................................................................................................9
i. Composition.............................................................................................................................9
ii. Organisation............................................................................................................................9
6. Specialised courts (257 TFEU).....................................................................................................9
E. Procedure.....................................................................................................................................10
1. General.....................................................................................................................................10
2. ‘Ordinary procedure’................................................................................................................10
i. Written procedure.................................................................................................................10
ii. Oral Procedure......................................................................................................................10
iii. Intervention.........................................................................................................................11
iv. Deliberation.........................................................................................................................11
3. A judgment in a reasonable time?............................................................................................11
Chapter 2. The different remedies........................................................................................................12
Introduction......................................................................................................................................12
A. Action for infringement................................................................................................................13
1. Legal basis and description of the procedure...........................................................................13
2. Who is involved?.......................................................................................................................13
3. Which is the breach?................................................................................................................13
i. Failure to comply...................................................................................................................13
ii. Exception..............................................................................................................................13
, iii. Elements of the infringement..............................................................................................14
iv. Possible remedies................................................................................................................15
4. Who are the plaintiffs?.............................................................................................................15
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................16
i. Administrative or pre-litigation stage....................................................................................16
ii. Judicial stage:........................................................................................................................17
6. The effects of the judgment......................................................................................................18
7. The competence.......................................................................................................................19
8. Modifications of the Lisbon Treaty...........................................................................................19
B. Action for annulment...................................................................................................................19
1. Legal basis and general description of the procedure..............................................................19
2. Who is involved or which acts are targeted?............................................................................20
i. Before Lisbon.........................................................................................................................20
ii. Article 263 TFEU....................................................................................................................20
3. Which breaches of EU law?......................................................................................................20
i. Which acts can be challenged?..............................................................................................20
ii. Which grounds for annulment?............................................................................................22
4. Who can act?............................................................................................................................23
i. The super-privileged..............................................................................................................23
ii. The semi-privileged...............................................................................................................24
iii. The individuals.....................................................................................................................24
Who?....................................................................................................................................24
Requirements.......................................................................................................................25
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................28
i. Principle: time limits..............................................................................................................28
ii. Exceptions.............................................................................................................................29
6. Effects of the annulment decision............................................................................................29
7. Which is the competent Court?................................................................................................30
i. Principles................................................................................................................................30
ii. Application............................................................................................................................30
8. Lisbon Treaty............................................................................................................................31
9. Disputes between the EU and its civil servants (art. 270 TFEU)................................................31
10. Unlimited Jurisdiction (art. 261 TFEU)....................................................................................31
Summary of differences and common points of infringement procedure and annulment action 31
C. Action for failure to act.................................................................................................................32
1. Legal basis and general description of the procedure..............................................................32
, 2. Who is involved?.......................................................................................................................32
i. Before Lisbon.........................................................................................................................32
ii. Since Lisbon..........................................................................................................................33
3. Which breached of EU law?......................................................................................................33
4. Who can act?............................................................................................................................33
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................34
i. Administrative State..............................................................................................................34
ii. Judicial stage.........................................................................................................................35
6. Effects of the judgment declaring a failure to act.....................................................................35
7. Which is the competent court?................................................................................................35
D. Action for damages......................................................................................................................36
Distinction: NLEU and NLMS.........................................................................................................36
1. Legal basis and general description of the procedure..............................................................36
i. NLEU......................................................................................................................................36
ii. NLMS.....................................................................................................................................37
iii. Contractual liability..............................................................................................................37
2. Who is involved........................................................................................................................37
i. NLEU......................................................................................................................................37
ii. LNMS.....................................................................................................................................38
3. Which breaches of EU law........................................................................................................39
i. NLEU – Before Bergaderm cases............................................................................................39
Breach of EU Law..................................................................................................................39
Damage.................................................................................................................................39
Causal link.............................................................................................................................39
Examples...............................................................................................................................40
ii. NLMS – Francovich and Brasserie du Pêcheur......................................................................40
iii. NLEU – After the Bergaderm case........................................................................................42
4. Who can act?............................................................................................................................43
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................43
6. Effects of the judgment............................................................................................................43
i. NLEU......................................................................................................................................43
ii. NLMS.....................................................................................................................................43
7. Which is the competent court..................................................................................................43
E. Preliminary ruling.............................................................................................................................44
E.1 Preliminary ruling concerning the interpretation of EU law...........................................................45
1. Legal basis and description of the mechanism.............................................................................45
, 2. Who would have violated EU law?...............................................................................................45
3. Who may or shall refer a preliminary question to the ECJ?..........................................................45
i. « A court or tribunal» (Art. 267 paragraph 2)........................................................................45
ii. « of a Member State» (Art. 267 paragraph 2).......................................................................47
iii. « if it considers that a decision on the question ‘concerning the interpretation of EU law’ is
necessary to enable it to give judgment» (Art. 267 paragraph 2).............................................47
iv. May and Shall reference to the ECJ......................................................................................48
4. What can the preliminary reference relate to?........................................................................49
i. Subject matter.......................................................................................................................49
ii. Exceptions.............................................................................................................................50
5. Specific elements of the mechanism........................................................................................50
i. Before ECJ..............................................................................................................................50
ii. ECJ.........................................................................................................................................51
iii. Special procedures...............................................................................................................51
iv. Jurisdictional issues..............................................................................................................51
6. Effects of a judgment delivered under the preliminary ruling procedure.................................52
7. Which is the competent Court?................................................................................................53
8. Lisbon Treaty............................................................................................................................53
E.2 Preliminary ruling on validity of EU Law.........................................................................................53
1. Legal basis and description of the mechanism.........................................................................54
2. Which violation of EU law?.......................................................................................................54
3. Who may or shall refer a question for a preliminary ruling on the validity of EU law?.............54
4. What can the preliminary reference relate to?........................................................................54
5. Specific elements of the mechanism........................................................................................55
6. Effects of a judgment delivered under the preliminary ruling procedure.................................55
F. Objection of illegality....................................................................................................................56
1. Legal basis and general description..........................................................................................56
2. Which acts are concerned?.......................................................................................................57
i. Before the Lisbon Treaty........................................................................................................57
ii. Article 277 TFEU....................................................................................................................58
3. Which violations?......................................................................................................................58
4. Who can raise a plea of illegality?.............................................................................................58
5. Specific elements of the procedure..........................................................................................59
6. Effects of the CJEU’s decision to accept the objection of illegality...........................................59
7. Which is the competent Court?................................................................................................59
8. Lisbon Treaty............................................................................................................................59
