Court of Justice of the European Union

The Court of Justice of the European Union is the EU’s judicial institution, comprising the Court of Justice and the General Court. It interprets EU law and reviews the legality of acts by EU institutions.

Preliminary ruling procedure: A procedure allowing national courts to ask the Court of Justice to interpret EU law or assess its validity. It enables national judges to resolve EU-law questions while maintaining consistent interpretation across member states.
Court of Justice: The senior court within the Court of Justice of the European Union, composed of one judge from each EU member state. It handles preliminary references and appeals, among other matters.
Primacy of European Union law: The principle that EU law takes precedence over conflicting national law within its scope. The Court established primacy as a basis for applying EU rules consistently across national legal systems.
European Court of Human Rights: An international court that rules on alleged violations of the European Convention on Human Rights by its member states. Despite its similar name, it belongs to the Council of Europe, not the EU judicial system.
Infringement procedure: A legal process through which the European Commission or a member state can challenge a member state’s failure to meet EU obligations. It lets the Court determine whether a member state has breached EU law.
General Court: The EU court that hears many direct actions, especially cases brought by individuals and companies. It is the other constituent court, with jurisdiction distinct from the Court of Justice.
Van Gend en Loos: A 1963 Court of Justice judgment that established the direct effect of certain EU law provisions. This landmark ruling made individuals potential enforcers of EU law in national courts.
European Court of Auditors: The EU institution that audits the Union’s finances and reports on how its budget is managed. It is called a court but performs an auditing role, not judicial adjudication.
Action for annulment: A court action seeking to have an EU institution’s legally binding act declared void. It is a principal route for judicial review of EU institutional acts.
Advocate General: A member of the Court of Justice who delivers independent, reasoned opinions in cases assigned to them. Opinions can clarify legal issues before the Court of Justice gives its judgment.

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