Summary European constitutional law
,DIRECT EFFECT....................................................................................................................6
Case law: Direct Effect.........................................................................................................6
Van Gend en Loos:......................................................................................................... 6
Case 2/74 Reyners ECLI:EU:C:1974:68........................................................................7
Case 41/74 Van Duyn ECLI:EU:C:1974:133.................................................................9
*Case 43/75 Defrenne ECLI:EU:C:1976:56................................................................10
Case 148/78 Ratti ECLI:EU:C:1979:110..................................................................... 10
*Case 152/84 Marshall ECLI:EU:C:1986:84...............................................................11
Case 14/83 Von Colson ECLI:EU:C:1984:153............................................................ 13
*Case C-188/89 Foster ECLI:EU:C:1990:313; Compare Foster with the opinion of
AG Sharpston in Case C-413/15, Elaine Farrell v Alan Whitty, ECLI:EU:C:2017:492.
14
Case C-106/89 Marleasing ECLI:EU:C:1990:395.......................................................15
Case C-194/94 CIA ECLI:EU:C:1996:172..................................................................16
Case C-443/98 Unilever Italia ECLI:EU:C:2000:496................................................. 18
Case C-201/02 Wells ECLI:EU:C:2004:12..................................................................19
Case C-144/04 Mangold ECLI:EU:C:2005:709.......................................................... 20
Case C-414/16 Egenberger ECLI:EU:C:2018:257...................................................... 22
Case C-122/17 Smith ECLI:EU:C:2018:631............................................................... 23
EU LAW BOOK, CHAPTER 8......................................................................................... 24
Applies to:.................................................................................................................... 25
Enforcement of direct effect.........................................................................................25
Broader definition of direct effect: “objective”............................................................25
Narrower definition of direct effect: “subjective”........................................................25
Expansion of the concept of direct effect:....................................................................25
Directives and direct effect:......................................................................................... 26
Limitations on horizontal direct effect of directives:................................................... 27
Enhancing the effect of directives:............................................................................... 28
Direct effect of secondary law: regulations and decisions........................................... 29
Direct effect of Treaty provisions:............................................................................... 29
General principles and the Charter of Fundamental Rights:........................................ 29
SUPREMACY........................................................................................................................ 30
Case law: Primacy.............................................................................................................. 30
Case 6/64 Flaminio Costa v ENEL ECLI:EU:C:1964:66............................................ 30
Case 11/70 Internationale Handelsgesellschaft ECLI:EU:C:1970:114........................31
*Case 106/77 Amministrazione delle Finanze dello Stato v Simmenthal SpA........... 32
*Case C-208/09 Ilonka Sayn-Wittgenstein ECLI:EU:C:2010:806..............................33
*Case C-573/17 Criminal proceedings against Daniel Adam Poplawski
ECLI:EU:C:2019:530...................................................................................................34
2
, EU LAW BOOK - CHAPTER 10...................................................................................... 34
Supremacy of EU Law................................................................................................. 34
Key Cases Establishing Supremacy............................................................................. 35
Dimensions of Supremacy........................................................................................... 35
Direct Effect and Supremacy....................................................................................... 35
Limitations and Challenges.......................................................................................... 36
Supremacy and National Courts...................................................................................36
Primacy of EU Law Under the Lisbon Treaty..............................................................36
CONNECTION WITH DIRECT EFFECT AND SUPREMACY.................................... 37
Enforcement of EU Law.............................................................................................. 37
Simmenthal...................................................................................................................37
Limitations................................................................................................................... 37
ACTIONS FOR ANNULMENT AND INFRINGEMENT PROCEDURE...................... 37
Cases for Action for Annulment:....................................................................................... 38
*Case 25-62 Plaumann & Co. v Commission of the European Economic Community,
ECLI:EU:C:1963:17.....................................................................................................38
*Case 41 to 44-70 NV International Fruit Company and others v Commission of the
European Communities, ECLI:EU:C:1971:53.............................................................39
*Case C-583/11 P Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, EU:C:2013:625........................................40
*Case T-262/10 Microban International Ltd and Microban (Europe) Ltd v European
Commission, ECLI:EU:T:2011:623............................................................................. 41
Cases for Infringement Procedure......................................................................................42
*Case 247/87 Star Fruit Company SA v Commission, ECLI:EU:C:1989:58..............42
CHAPTER 15: Review of Legality (Article 263 TFEU)................................................... 44
Acts:............................................................................................................................. 44
Non-existent Acts:........................................................................................................44
Standing:.......................................................................................................................44
Bodies subject to review:............................................................................................. 45
Grounds for Challenge, Article 263(2):....................................................................... 45
Types of Acts:...............................................................................................................45
Time Limits:................................................................................................................. 45
Limitations on review:................................................................................................. 45
Case Law:..................................................................................................................... 46
● Plaumann & Co. v Commission (Case 25/62):...................................................46
● Commission v Council (Case 22/70):................................................................. 46
Challenges under Article 263(4):................................................................................. 46
CHAPTER 16: Indirect Challenge (Article 267 TFEU).................................................... 47
Types of Acts Challenged:........................................................................................... 47
Who can refer:.............................................................................................................. 48
Indirect challenge:........................................................................................................ 48
Mandatory and Discretionary Referrals:...................................................................... 48
Case Law:..................................................................................................................... 48
3
, ● IBM v Commission (Case 60/81):...................................................................... 48
● International Fruit Company v Commission (Cases 41–44/70):........................ 48
CHAPTER 13: Enforcement Actions Against Member States (Article 258 & 260 TFEU
(and 278 & 279 TFEU))..................................................................................................... 49
Breaches Covered Under Article 258...........................................................................49
Article 258: The Infringement Procedure.................................................................... 49
Infringement Actions After Remedying Breach.......................................................... 50
Case: Commission v Netherlands (Case 96/81)........................................................... 50
Article 258: Public and Private Enforcement Mechanisms..........................................50
Case: Van Gend en Loos (Case 26/62).........................................................................50
Standing of Private Parties........................................................................................... 51
Article 258: The Commission’s Discretion.................................................................. 51
Case: Commission v United Kingdom (Case 416/85)................................................. 51
Defences and Consequences of a Ruling..................................................................... 51
Article 260: The Pecuniary Penalty............................................................................. 51
Case: Commission v France (Case C-304/02)............................................................. 52
Non-Compliance with a CJEU Judgment:................................................................... 52
Financial Penalties:...................................................................................................... 52
Calculation of Penalties:...............................................................................................52
Direct Penalties for Failure to Notify Transposition:................................................... 52
No Injunctions:............................................................................................................. 52
Commission’s Discretion:............................................................................................ 53
Enforcement of Penalties:............................................................................................ 53
Remedying Breaches Before Judgment:...................................................................... 53
Articles 278 & 279: Interim Measures......................................................................... 53
Article 278 TFEU: Suspension of Acts........................................................................53
Article 279 TFEU: Interim Measures...........................................................................53
Use of Interim Measures.............................................................................................. 54
Extra information from EU sites:................................................................................. 54
Questions:...........................................................................................................................54
Starting Points of Discussion: Actions for Annulment................................................ 54
Starting Points of Discussion: Infringement Procedure............................................... 56
CONFLICTS OF RIGHTS................................................................................................... 58
Cases:................................................................................................................................. 58
*Case C-112/00 Schmidberger [2003]......................................................................... 58
*Case C-36/02 Omega [2004]......................................................................................60
*Case C-438/05 Viking Line [2007]............................................................................ 62
*Case C-341/05 Laval [2007]...................................................................................... 64
*Case C-128/22 § Info v Belgium State [2023]........................................................... 65
EU CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS................................................................ 67
Cases:................................................................................................................................. 67
4
, *Case C-399/11 Melloni [2013]...................................................................................67
*Case C-817/19 Ligue des droits humains [2022]....................................................... 69
Case C-470/21 Quadrature du Net II [2024]................................................................ 70
*Case C-609/17 TSN [2019]........................................................................................71
*Case C-617/10 Åkerberg. [2013] Read also the Opinion of AG Cruz Villalón......... 73
Questions:...........................................................................................................................74
SEMINAR 4: Accession to ECHR – Protocol 8 – Draft Accession Treaty........................81
Cases:................................................................................................................................. 81
*Case C-411/10 NS [2011]. Read the Opinion of the AG........................................... 81
* Cases C29/22 P and C44/22 P KS and KD [2024- pending], Read Opinion of AG
Capeta of 23 November 2023 – Case will be delivered in the midst of October 2024....
83
Bosphorus v. Ireland [2005]......................................................................................... 86
SEMINAR - Opinion 2/13 and Mutual Trust...................................................................... 89
Opinion 2/13.......................................................................................................................89
ARGUMENTS FOR ACCESSION............................................................................. 93
ARGUMENTS AGAINST ACCESSION................................................................... 93
SEMINAR 7 - The Impact of the Charter - Focus on the Freedom to Conduct Business -
Case Law Seminar..................................................................................................................95
Cases:................................................................................................................................. 95
Case C-199/11 Otis v. Commission [2012] (based on art 47 CFEU)...........................95
Case Toshiba Corporations [2012] (based on art. 50 CFEU).......................................96
Case C-501/11 P Schindler v. Commission [2013]...................................................... 98
Case C-283/11 Sky Österreich [2013]..........................................................................99
Case C-426/11 Mark Alemo-Herron [2013].............................................................. 100
Case C-202/15 AGET-Iraklis [2016]..........................................................................101
Questions.......................................................................................................................... 103
SEMINAR 8 - THE IMPACT OF THE CHARTER - CASE LAW SEMINAR II..................... 107
Cases:............................................................................................................................... 108
The Evolution of the Rights to be Forgotten..............................................................108
Case C-131/12 Google Spain [2014]................................................................... 108
Case C-136/17 GC and Others v Commission nationale de l'informatique et des
libertés (CNIL) [2019]..........................................................................................110
Case C-507/17 Google LLC, successor in law to Google Inc. v Commission
nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL) [2019]....................................111
The Right to the Protection of the Personal Data....................................................... 113
Cases C-293/12 and C-594/12 Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others
[2014]................................................................................................................... 113
Joined Cases C-203/15 and C-698/15 Tele2 Sverige AB v Post- och telestyrelsen
and Secretary of State for the Home Department v Tom Watson and Others [2016]
114
Case C-311/18 Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland Limited and
Maximillian Schrems [2020]................................................................................115
5
, Questions.......................................................................................................................... 116
SEMINAR 9 - THE IMPACT OF THE CHARTER - CASE LAW SEMINAR III.................... 129
Cases:............................................................................................................................... 129
*Case C-604/12 H. N. [2014].....................................................................................129
*Case C-129/14 PPU Zoran Spasic [2014]................................................................ 130
*Case C-151/20 Nordzucker [2022].......................................................................... 131
*Case C-117/20 bpost [2022].....................................................................................133
*Case C-27/22 Volkswagen Italia [2023]...................................................................135
Questions.......................................................................................................................... 137
6
,DIRECT EFFECT....................................................................................................................6
Case law: Direct Effect.........................................................................................................6
Van Gend en Loos:......................................................................................................... 6
Case 2/74 Reyners ECLI:EU:C:1974:68........................................................................7
Case 41/74 Van Duyn ECLI:EU:C:1974:133.................................................................9
*Case 43/75 Defrenne ECLI:EU:C:1976:56................................................................10
Case 148/78 Ratti ECLI:EU:C:1979:110..................................................................... 10
*Case 152/84 Marshall ECLI:EU:C:1986:84...............................................................11
Case 14/83 Von Colson ECLI:EU:C:1984:153............................................................ 13
*Case C-188/89 Foster ECLI:EU:C:1990:313; Compare Foster with the opinion of
AG Sharpston in Case C-413/15, Elaine Farrell v Alan Whitty, ECLI:EU:C:2017:492.
14
Case C-106/89 Marleasing ECLI:EU:C:1990:395.......................................................15
Case C-194/94 CIA ECLI:EU:C:1996:172..................................................................16
Case C-443/98 Unilever Italia ECLI:EU:C:2000:496................................................. 18
Case C-201/02 Wells ECLI:EU:C:2004:12..................................................................19
Case C-144/04 Mangold ECLI:EU:C:2005:709.......................................................... 20
Case C-414/16 Egenberger ECLI:EU:C:2018:257...................................................... 22
Case C-122/17 Smith ECLI:EU:C:2018:631............................................................... 23
EU LAW BOOK, CHAPTER 8......................................................................................... 24
Applies to:.................................................................................................................... 25
Enforcement of direct effect.........................................................................................25
Broader definition of direct effect: “objective”............................................................25
Narrower definition of direct effect: “subjective”........................................................25
Expansion of the concept of direct effect:....................................................................25
Directives and direct effect:......................................................................................... 26
Limitations on horizontal direct effect of directives:................................................... 27
Enhancing the effect of directives:............................................................................... 28
Direct effect of secondary law: regulations and decisions........................................... 29
Direct effect of Treaty provisions:............................................................................... 29
General principles and the Charter of Fundamental Rights:........................................ 29
SUPREMACY........................................................................................................................ 30
Case law: Primacy.............................................................................................................. 30
Case 6/64 Flaminio Costa v ENEL ECLI:EU:C:1964:66............................................ 30
Case 11/70 Internationale Handelsgesellschaft ECLI:EU:C:1970:114........................31
*Case 106/77 Amministrazione delle Finanze dello Stato v Simmenthal SpA........... 32
*Case C-208/09 Ilonka Sayn-Wittgenstein ECLI:EU:C:2010:806..............................33
*Case C-573/17 Criminal proceedings against Daniel Adam Poplawski
ECLI:EU:C:2019:530...................................................................................................34
2
, EU LAW BOOK - CHAPTER 10...................................................................................... 34
Supremacy of EU Law................................................................................................. 34
Key Cases Establishing Supremacy............................................................................. 35
Dimensions of Supremacy........................................................................................... 35
Direct Effect and Supremacy....................................................................................... 35
Limitations and Challenges.......................................................................................... 36
Supremacy and National Courts...................................................................................36
Primacy of EU Law Under the Lisbon Treaty..............................................................36
CONNECTION WITH DIRECT EFFECT AND SUPREMACY.................................... 37
Enforcement of EU Law.............................................................................................. 37
Simmenthal...................................................................................................................37
Limitations................................................................................................................... 37
ACTIONS FOR ANNULMENT AND INFRINGEMENT PROCEDURE...................... 37
Cases for Action for Annulment:....................................................................................... 38
*Case 25-62 Plaumann & Co. v Commission of the European Economic Community,
ECLI:EU:C:1963:17.....................................................................................................38
*Case 41 to 44-70 NV International Fruit Company and others v Commission of the
European Communities, ECLI:EU:C:1971:53.............................................................39
*Case C-583/11 P Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, EU:C:2013:625........................................40
*Case T-262/10 Microban International Ltd and Microban (Europe) Ltd v European
Commission, ECLI:EU:T:2011:623............................................................................. 41
Cases for Infringement Procedure......................................................................................42
*Case 247/87 Star Fruit Company SA v Commission, ECLI:EU:C:1989:58..............42
CHAPTER 15: Review of Legality (Article 263 TFEU)................................................... 44
Acts:............................................................................................................................. 44
Non-existent Acts:........................................................................................................44
Standing:.......................................................................................................................44
Bodies subject to review:............................................................................................. 45
Grounds for Challenge, Article 263(2):....................................................................... 45
Types of Acts:...............................................................................................................45
Time Limits:................................................................................................................. 45
Limitations on review:................................................................................................. 45
Case Law:..................................................................................................................... 46
● Plaumann & Co. v Commission (Case 25/62):...................................................46
● Commission v Council (Case 22/70):................................................................. 46
Challenges under Article 263(4):................................................................................. 46
CHAPTER 16: Indirect Challenge (Article 267 TFEU).................................................... 47
Types of Acts Challenged:........................................................................................... 47
Who can refer:.............................................................................................................. 48
Indirect challenge:........................................................................................................ 48
Mandatory and Discretionary Referrals:...................................................................... 48
Case Law:..................................................................................................................... 48
3
, ● IBM v Commission (Case 60/81):...................................................................... 48
● International Fruit Company v Commission (Cases 41–44/70):........................ 48
CHAPTER 13: Enforcement Actions Against Member States (Article 258 & 260 TFEU
(and 278 & 279 TFEU))..................................................................................................... 49
Breaches Covered Under Article 258...........................................................................49
Article 258: The Infringement Procedure.................................................................... 49
Infringement Actions After Remedying Breach.......................................................... 50
Case: Commission v Netherlands (Case 96/81)........................................................... 50
Article 258: Public and Private Enforcement Mechanisms..........................................50
Case: Van Gend en Loos (Case 26/62).........................................................................50
Standing of Private Parties........................................................................................... 51
Article 258: The Commission’s Discretion.................................................................. 51
Case: Commission v United Kingdom (Case 416/85)................................................. 51
Defences and Consequences of a Ruling..................................................................... 51
Article 260: The Pecuniary Penalty............................................................................. 51
Case: Commission v France (Case C-304/02)............................................................. 52
Non-Compliance with a CJEU Judgment:................................................................... 52
Financial Penalties:...................................................................................................... 52
Calculation of Penalties:...............................................................................................52
Direct Penalties for Failure to Notify Transposition:................................................... 52
No Injunctions:............................................................................................................. 52
Commission’s Discretion:............................................................................................ 53
Enforcement of Penalties:............................................................................................ 53
Remedying Breaches Before Judgment:...................................................................... 53
Articles 278 & 279: Interim Measures......................................................................... 53
Article 278 TFEU: Suspension of Acts........................................................................53
Article 279 TFEU: Interim Measures...........................................................................53
Use of Interim Measures.............................................................................................. 54
Extra information from EU sites:................................................................................. 54
Questions:...........................................................................................................................54
Starting Points of Discussion: Actions for Annulment................................................ 54
Starting Points of Discussion: Infringement Procedure............................................... 56
CONFLICTS OF RIGHTS................................................................................................... 58
Cases:................................................................................................................................. 58
*Case C-112/00 Schmidberger [2003]......................................................................... 58
*Case C-36/02 Omega [2004]......................................................................................60
*Case C-438/05 Viking Line [2007]............................................................................ 62
*Case C-341/05 Laval [2007]...................................................................................... 64
*Case C-128/22 § Info v Belgium State [2023]........................................................... 65
EU CHARTER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS................................................................ 67
Cases:................................................................................................................................. 67
4
, *Case C-399/11 Melloni [2013]...................................................................................67
*Case C-817/19 Ligue des droits humains [2022]....................................................... 69
Case C-470/21 Quadrature du Net II [2024]................................................................ 70
*Case C-609/17 TSN [2019]........................................................................................71
*Case C-617/10 Åkerberg. [2013] Read also the Opinion of AG Cruz Villalón......... 73
Questions:...........................................................................................................................74
SEMINAR 4: Accession to ECHR – Protocol 8 – Draft Accession Treaty........................81
Cases:................................................................................................................................. 81
*Case C-411/10 NS [2011]. Read the Opinion of the AG........................................... 81
* Cases C29/22 P and C44/22 P KS and KD [2024- pending], Read Opinion of AG
Capeta of 23 November 2023 – Case will be delivered in the midst of October 2024....
83
Bosphorus v. Ireland [2005]......................................................................................... 86
SEMINAR - Opinion 2/13 and Mutual Trust...................................................................... 89
Opinion 2/13.......................................................................................................................89
ARGUMENTS FOR ACCESSION............................................................................. 93
ARGUMENTS AGAINST ACCESSION................................................................... 93
SEMINAR 7 - The Impact of the Charter - Focus on the Freedom to Conduct Business -
Case Law Seminar..................................................................................................................95
Cases:................................................................................................................................. 95
Case C-199/11 Otis v. Commission [2012] (based on art 47 CFEU)...........................95
Case Toshiba Corporations [2012] (based on art. 50 CFEU).......................................96
Case C-501/11 P Schindler v. Commission [2013]...................................................... 98
Case C-283/11 Sky Österreich [2013]..........................................................................99
Case C-426/11 Mark Alemo-Herron [2013].............................................................. 100
Case C-202/15 AGET-Iraklis [2016]..........................................................................101
Questions.......................................................................................................................... 103
SEMINAR 8 - THE IMPACT OF THE CHARTER - CASE LAW SEMINAR II..................... 107
Cases:............................................................................................................................... 108
The Evolution of the Rights to be Forgotten..............................................................108
Case C-131/12 Google Spain [2014]................................................................... 108
Case C-136/17 GC and Others v Commission nationale de l'informatique et des
libertés (CNIL) [2019]..........................................................................................110
Case C-507/17 Google LLC, successor in law to Google Inc. v Commission
nationale de l'informatique et des libertés (CNIL) [2019]....................................111
The Right to the Protection of the Personal Data....................................................... 113
Cases C-293/12 and C-594/12 Digital Rights Ireland and Seitlinger and Others
[2014]................................................................................................................... 113
Joined Cases C-203/15 and C-698/15 Tele2 Sverige AB v Post- och telestyrelsen
and Secretary of State for the Home Department v Tom Watson and Others [2016]
114
Case C-311/18 Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland Limited and
Maximillian Schrems [2020]................................................................................115
5
, Questions.......................................................................................................................... 116
SEMINAR 9 - THE IMPACT OF THE CHARTER - CASE LAW SEMINAR III.................... 129
Cases:............................................................................................................................... 129
*Case C-604/12 H. N. [2014].....................................................................................129
*Case C-129/14 PPU Zoran Spasic [2014]................................................................ 130
*Case C-151/20 Nordzucker [2022].......................................................................... 131
*Case C-117/20 bpost [2022].....................................................................................133
*Case C-27/22 Volkswagen Italia [2023]...................................................................135
Questions.......................................................................................................................... 137
6
