2024-2025
CHAPTER 4
THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE EU LEGAL ORDER
KATRIEN VANDENPLAS
,Contents
4.1. An ‘integrated’ legal order ................................................................................... 3
4.1.1. Primacy of EU law ........................................................................................ 4
4.1.1.1. The Principle of Primacy ........................................................................ 4
4.1.1.2. consequences of the primacy of EU law over national law ........................ 7
4.1.2. Direct effect of EU law ................................................................................. 9
4.1.2.1. origins and definition ............................................................................. 9
4.1.2.2. criteria and types of direct effect .......................................................... 10
4.1.2.3. direct effect of the various instruments of EU law .................................. 10
4.1.3. national procedural law at the service of the EU legal order .......................... 14
4.1.3.1. national procedural autonomy ............................................................. 14
4.1.3.2. limits to national procedural autonomy ................................................ 15
4.1.3.3. state liability in damages for breaches of EU law ................................... 15
4.1.4. primacy, direct effect and national procedural law together .......................... 16
4.2. centralised components of the EU’s decentralised enforcement machinery ........ 17
4.2.1. who is in charge of centralised monitoring? ................................................. 17
4.2.2. infringement action ................................................................................... 17
4.2.2.1. procedure initiated by the commission: art. 258 TFEU ............................ 17
4.2.2.2. procedure initiated by a member state .................................................. 19
4.2.2.3. judicial phase ..................................................................................... 19
4.2.3. preliminary ruling procedure ...................................................................... 20
4.2.3.1. who may ask for a preliminary ruling ..................................................... 21
4.2.3.2. types of preliminary questions ............................................................. 21
4.2.3.3. possibility vs. duty to refer a preliminary question .................................. 22
4.2.3.4. the preliminary ruling .......................................................................... 22
4.3. the EU is subject to the rule of law .................................................................... 24
4.3.1. judicial enforcement of EU law against EU organs ........................................ 24
4.3.1.1. action for annulment ........................................................................... 24
4.3.1.2. action for failure to act......................................................................... 27
4.3.1.3. indirect challenges to the validity ......................................................... 28
4.3.1.4. EU non-contractual liability in damages ................................................ 30
4.3.2. the EU legal order is dependent on sound national legal systems .................. 31
1
Katrien Vandenplas
, 4.3.2.1. political monitoring of compliance with the values in art. 2 TEU .............. 31
4.3.2.2. is compliance with the rule of law at national level judicially enforceable?
...................................................................................................................... 32
4.3.2.3. when the rule of law meets the rule of EU law ........................................ 32
4.4. European integrations is a process .................................................................... 33
4.4.1. focus: legal design of the EMU, the AFSJ and the CFSP ................................. 33
4.4.2. epilogue ................................................................................................... 34
2
Katrien Vandenplas
, Chapter 4: the unique nature of the EU
legal order
4.1. An ‘integrated’ legal order
EU Treaties + derived law => integrated with law of MS => reliance on principles of
primacy + direct effect => integrated legal system heavily anchored + dependent upon
national procedural law
3
Katrien Vandenplas
CHAPTER 4
THE UNIQUE NATURE OF THE EU LEGAL ORDER
KATRIEN VANDENPLAS
,Contents
4.1. An ‘integrated’ legal order ................................................................................... 3
4.1.1. Primacy of EU law ........................................................................................ 4
4.1.1.1. The Principle of Primacy ........................................................................ 4
4.1.1.2. consequences of the primacy of EU law over national law ........................ 7
4.1.2. Direct effect of EU law ................................................................................. 9
4.1.2.1. origins and definition ............................................................................. 9
4.1.2.2. criteria and types of direct effect .......................................................... 10
4.1.2.3. direct effect of the various instruments of EU law .................................. 10
4.1.3. national procedural law at the service of the EU legal order .......................... 14
4.1.3.1. national procedural autonomy ............................................................. 14
4.1.3.2. limits to national procedural autonomy ................................................ 15
4.1.3.3. state liability in damages for breaches of EU law ................................... 15
4.1.4. primacy, direct effect and national procedural law together .......................... 16
4.2. centralised components of the EU’s decentralised enforcement machinery ........ 17
4.2.1. who is in charge of centralised monitoring? ................................................. 17
4.2.2. infringement action ................................................................................... 17
4.2.2.1. procedure initiated by the commission: art. 258 TFEU ............................ 17
4.2.2.2. procedure initiated by a member state .................................................. 19
4.2.2.3. judicial phase ..................................................................................... 19
4.2.3. preliminary ruling procedure ...................................................................... 20
4.2.3.1. who may ask for a preliminary ruling ..................................................... 21
4.2.3.2. types of preliminary questions ............................................................. 21
4.2.3.3. possibility vs. duty to refer a preliminary question .................................. 22
4.2.3.4. the preliminary ruling .......................................................................... 22
4.3. the EU is subject to the rule of law .................................................................... 24
4.3.1. judicial enforcement of EU law against EU organs ........................................ 24
4.3.1.1. action for annulment ........................................................................... 24
4.3.1.2. action for failure to act......................................................................... 27
4.3.1.3. indirect challenges to the validity ......................................................... 28
4.3.1.4. EU non-contractual liability in damages ................................................ 30
4.3.2. the EU legal order is dependent on sound national legal systems .................. 31
1
Katrien Vandenplas
, 4.3.2.1. political monitoring of compliance with the values in art. 2 TEU .............. 31
4.3.2.2. is compliance with the rule of law at national level judicially enforceable?
...................................................................................................................... 32
4.3.2.3. when the rule of law meets the rule of EU law ........................................ 32
4.4. European integrations is a process .................................................................... 33
4.4.1. focus: legal design of the EMU, the AFSJ and the CFSP ................................. 33
4.4.2. epilogue ................................................................................................... 34
2
Katrien Vandenplas
, Chapter 4: the unique nature of the EU
legal order
4.1. An ‘integrated’ legal order
EU Treaties + derived law => integrated with law of MS => reliance on principles of
primacy + direct effect => integrated legal system heavily anchored + dependent upon
national procedural law
3
Katrien Vandenplas
