Europees recht
Prof. Baeyens
Sarah Pintens
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
Europees recht 1
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
,Understanding European Union Law ____________________________________________ 6
Chapter 1: Introduc1on ___________________________________________________________ 6
1. The meaning of EU law______________________________________________________________ 6
2. How is EU law relevant to your life?____________________________________________________ 6
3. Sources of EU law __________________________________________________________________ 6
4. EEC, EC or EU? ____________________________________________________________________ 7
5. Dealing with names of EU court cases __________________________________________________ 7
Chapter 2: The crea1on of the European Union _______________________________________ 8
1. The European CommuniGes: Why were they created and what did they consist of? _____________ 8
1.1. The Council of Europe __________________________________________________________ 8
1.2. First European Community: 'European Coal and Steel Community' (ECSC) _________________ 8
1.3. Failed steps towards European defence and poliGcal communiGes _______________________ 9
1.4. Second European Community: 'European Atomic Energy Community' (Euratom) ___________ 9
1.5. Third European Community: 'The European Economic Community' (EEC) ________________ 10
1.6. European CommuniGes: summary _______________________________________________ 10
2. The development of the European Economic Community (EEC) ____________________________ 11
2.1. Merger Treaty 1965 ___________________________________________________________ 11
2.2. Developments up to the Single European Act (SEA) __________________________________ 11
2.3. The Single European Act 1986 ___________________________________________________ 12
2.4. The Treaty on European Union, 1992 _____________________________________________ 14
2.4.1. Amendments to the original EEC Treaty _______________________________________ 14
2.4.2. Establishing the European Union ____________________________________________ 14
2.5. The 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam __________________________________________________ 15
2.6. The Treaty of Nice, 2000 _______________________________________________________ 16
2.7. A draV ConsGtuGon for Europe __________________________________________________ 17
2.8. The Treaty of Lisbon, 2009 _____________________________________________________ 17
2.9. The Fiscal Compact Treaty (FCT) _________________________________________________ 18
2.10. Enlargement ______________________________________________________________ 19
2.10.1. The UK applicaGon for membership __________________________________________ 19
2.10.2. Further expansion ________________________________________________________ 19
2.10.3. The EU today and in the future _____________________________________________ 20
2.10.4. Main challenges of the moment_____________________________________________ 20
2.10.4.1. Brexit ______________________________________________________________ 21
A. Withdrawal agreement ____________________________________________________ 21
B. The Trade and CooperaGon Agreement (TCA) __________________________________ 21
2.10.5. AddiGonal informaGon ____________________________________________________ 22
2.10.6. Pioneers – some of the architects of the European project _______________________ 23
Chapter 3: Who runs the EU? _____________________________________________________ 24
1. Power-sharing in the EU ______________________________________________________________ 24
1.1 Federalism, supranaGonalism and intergovernmentalism (= theories of governance) _______ 24
1.2 The conferral of competences between the EU and its Member States __________________ 25
1.3 The principles of subsidiarity and proporGonality ___________________________________ 25
2. The insGtuGonal structure of the EU_____________________________________________________ 26
2.1 The insGtuGons and other Union bodies ______________________________________________ 26
2.2 The funcGons of the government ____________________________________________________ 26
2.3 The European Parliament (ArGcles 14 TEU and 223-234 TFEU) _____________________________ 26
2.3.1 ComposiGon and funcGons _____________________________________________________ 26
2.3.2 The legislaGve role of the EP ____________________________________________________ 27
2.3.3 The budgetary role of the EP (note that this is a legislaGve role) __________________________ 28
2.3.4 The supervisory role of the European Parliament (quasi-judicial) _________________________ 28
Europees recht 2
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
, 2.3.5 Conclusion ____________________________________________________________________ 29
2.4 The European Council (ArGcles 15-16 TEU and 235-236 TFEU) (= EC) __________________________ 29
2.4.1 ComposiGon and funcGons _______________________________________________________ 29
2.4.2 Conclusion ____________________________________________________________________ 30
2.5 The Council (ArGcles 16 TEU and 237-243 TFEU) __________________________________________ 30
2.5.1 ComposiGon and funcGons _______________________________________________________ 30
2.5.2 The Council's legislaGve role ______________________________________________________ 31
2.5.3 Decision-making in the Council ____________________________________________________ 31
2.5.4 Other roles of the Council ________________________________________________________ 31
2.6 The Commission (art. 17 TEU and art. 244-250 TFEU) ______________________________________ 31
2.6.1 The composiGon of the Commission ________________________________________________ 32
2.6.2 The Commission’s funcGons ______________________________________________________ 32
2.6.3 The Commission’s legislaGve role __________________________________________________ 32
2.6.4 The Commission’s administraGve and execuGve role ___________________________________ 32
2.6.5 The Commission’s supervisory funcGon _____________________________________________ 32
2.7 The Court of JusGce of the European Union (art. 19 TEU and art. 251-281 TEU) _________________ 33
2.7.1 The ComposiGon of the CJEU _____________________________________________________ 33
2.7.2 FuncGons and jurisdicGon ________________________________________________________ 33
2.7.3 Procedure before the CJEU _______________________________________________________ 33
2.7.4 The General Court ______________________________________________________________ 33
2.8 The European Central Bank (art. 282-284 TFEU) __________________________________________ 34
2.9 The Court of Auditors (art. 285-287 TFEU) _______________________________________________ 34
2.10 Other Community bodies ___________________________________________________________ 34
2.10.1 The Economic and Social Commifee (art. 300-304 TFEU) ______________________________ 34
2.10.2 The Commifee of the Regions (art. 300 and 305-307 TFEU) ____________________________ 34
2.10.3 European Investment Bank (art. 308-309 TFEU) ______________________________________ 34
3. InsGtuGonal balance, accountability and democracy in the EU ________________________________ 35
3.1 InsGtuGonal balance, or ‘how the insGtuGons share power’ _______________________________ 35
3.2 LegiGmacy, accountability and democracy in the EU _____________________________________ 35
Chapter 4: Sources of EU law _____________________________________________________ 36
1. Primary sources of EU law_____________________________________________________________ 36
1.1 The TreaGes _________________________________________________________________ 36
1.1.1 Protocols and declaraGons _____________________________________________________ 36
1.1.2 Revising primary legislaGon_____________________________________________________ 36
1.2 The General Principles of EU Law ________________________________________________ 37
1.2.1 Equality (‘discovered in the TreaGes’) _________________________________________ 37
1.2.2 Fundamental rights (‘discovered in naGonal and internaGonal law’) ________________ 37
2. Secondary sources of EU law __________________________________________________________ 37
2.1 Secondary law ___________________________________________________________________ 37
2.1.1 RegulaGons _________________________________________________________________ 37
2.1.2 DirecGves ___________________________________________________________________ 38
2.1.3 Decisions ___________________________________________________________________ 38
2.1.4 RecommendaGons, opinions and ‘soV law’ ________________________________________ 38
2.2 EnacGng secondary legislaGon ______________________________________________________ 38
2.2.1 Main actors in the creaGon of secondary legislaGon _________________________________ 38
2.2.2 The legal basis for the creaGon of EU secondary legislaGon ___________________________ 39
2.2.3 LegislaGve procedures _________________________________________________________ 39
2.3 VoGng procedures ________________________________________________________________ 40
2.3.1 Delegated acts _______________________________________________________________ 40
2.3.2 ImplemenGng acts ____________________________________________________________ 40
3. Case-law of the Court of JusGce of the European Union _____________________________________ 40
3.1. General principles of union law _____________________________________________________ 41
Europees recht 3
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
, 3.1.1. The funcGon and status of general principles ______________________________________ 41
4. InternaGonal agreement ______________________________________________________________ 42
4. Conclusions ________________________________________________________________________ 42
Chapter 5: The rela1onship between EU law and na1onal legal systems __________________ 43
5.1 The Doctrines of Direct Effect and Supremacy ____________________________________________ 43
5.1.1 The original posiGon ____________________________________________________________ 43
5.2 The doctrine of the supremacy of EU law________________________________________________ 43
5.2.1 The CreaGon of the Doctrine of Supremacy __________________________________________ 44
5.2.2 The Development of Doctrine _____________________________________________________ 44
5.3 The doctrine of the direct effect of EU law _______________________________________________ 47
5.3.1 The origin of the doctrine ________________________________________________________ 47
5.3.2 The CondiGons for direct effect ____________________________________________________ 48
5.3.3 Direct effect of different sources of Union law ____________________________________ 49
5.3.3.1 Direct effect and Treaty arGcles ________________________________________________ 49
5.3.3.2 Direct effect and regulaGons __________________________________________________ 49
5.3.3.3 Direct effect and decisions ____________________________________________________ 49
5.3.3.4 Direct effect of internaGonal agreements ________________________________________ 49
5.3.3.5 Direct effect and direcGves (art. 288 TFEU) _______________________________________ 49
5.4 Developing the effecGveness of direcGves ___________________________________________ 50
5.4.1 VerGcal direct effect: a broad interpretaGon of ‘state’ __________________________________ 50
5.4.2 Indirect effect or interpretaGve obligaGon ___________________________________________ 51
5.5 State liability for Damages (The Francovich Principle) ______________________________________ 52
5.5.1 The development of the state damages _____________________________________________ 52
5.5.2 The Court’s interpretaGon of ‘sufficiently serious’ _____________________________________ 52
Chapter 6: Enforcing Union law ___________________________________________________ 53
6.1 Enforcement of EU law rights before naGonal courts_______________________________________ 53
6.1.1 Courts ________________________________________________________________________ 53
6.1.2 Procedures ____________________________________________________________________ 53
6.1.3 Remedies _____________________________________________________________________ 54
6.1.3.1 The development of a uniform remedy: State damage (State liability) _________________ 55
6.2 Preliminary references and rulings _____________________________________________________ 55
6.2.1 The purpose of preliminary rulings _________________________________________________ 55
6.2.2 The effects of preliminary rulings __________________________________________________ 55
6.2.3 Which naGonal bodies may make a reference? _______________________________________ 55
6.2.4 a decision to refer (art. 267 TFEU) __________________________________________________ 56
6.2.4.1 The discreGon to refer _______________________________________________________ 56
6.2.4.2 The obligaGon to refer _______________________________________________________ 56
6.2.4.3 Acte clair: excepGons ________________________________________________________ 56
6.2.5 Can the Court of JusGce refuse to provide a ruling? ____________________________________ 57
6.2.6 The referral procedure ___________________________________________________________ 57
6.2.7 The consequences of the preliminary reference procedure ______________________________ 57
6.3 Enforcement acGons against Member States (art. 258-260 TFEU) ____________________________ 58
6.3.1 AcGons brought by the Commission (art. 258 TFEU) ___________________________________ 58
6.3.2 AcGons brought by Member States _________________________________________________ 59
6.3.3 The effecGveness of enforcement procedures ________________________________________ 59
6.4 AcGons against EU insGtuGons: judicial review of acts and omissions of the trade union bodies ____ 59
6.4.1 judicial review: AcGon to annul (art. 263-264 TFEU)____________________________________ 59
6.4.1.1 Whose acts may be challenged? _______________________________________________ 59
6.4.1.2 What acts may be challenged? ________________________________________________ 60
6.4.1.3 Grounds for bringing a challenge _______________________________________________ 60
6.4.1.4 Who can bring an acGon? ____________________________________________________ 60
Europees recht 4
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
Prof. Baeyens
Sarah Pintens
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
Europees recht 1
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
,Understanding European Union Law ____________________________________________ 6
Chapter 1: Introduc1on ___________________________________________________________ 6
1. The meaning of EU law______________________________________________________________ 6
2. How is EU law relevant to your life?____________________________________________________ 6
3. Sources of EU law __________________________________________________________________ 6
4. EEC, EC or EU? ____________________________________________________________________ 7
5. Dealing with names of EU court cases __________________________________________________ 7
Chapter 2: The crea1on of the European Union _______________________________________ 8
1. The European CommuniGes: Why were they created and what did they consist of? _____________ 8
1.1. The Council of Europe __________________________________________________________ 8
1.2. First European Community: 'European Coal and Steel Community' (ECSC) _________________ 8
1.3. Failed steps towards European defence and poliGcal communiGes _______________________ 9
1.4. Second European Community: 'European Atomic Energy Community' (Euratom) ___________ 9
1.5. Third European Community: 'The European Economic Community' (EEC) ________________ 10
1.6. European CommuniGes: summary _______________________________________________ 10
2. The development of the European Economic Community (EEC) ____________________________ 11
2.1. Merger Treaty 1965 ___________________________________________________________ 11
2.2. Developments up to the Single European Act (SEA) __________________________________ 11
2.3. The Single European Act 1986 ___________________________________________________ 12
2.4. The Treaty on European Union, 1992 _____________________________________________ 14
2.4.1. Amendments to the original EEC Treaty _______________________________________ 14
2.4.2. Establishing the European Union ____________________________________________ 14
2.5. The 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam __________________________________________________ 15
2.6. The Treaty of Nice, 2000 _______________________________________________________ 16
2.7. A draV ConsGtuGon for Europe __________________________________________________ 17
2.8. The Treaty of Lisbon, 2009 _____________________________________________________ 17
2.9. The Fiscal Compact Treaty (FCT) _________________________________________________ 18
2.10. Enlargement ______________________________________________________________ 19
2.10.1. The UK applicaGon for membership __________________________________________ 19
2.10.2. Further expansion ________________________________________________________ 19
2.10.3. The EU today and in the future _____________________________________________ 20
2.10.4. Main challenges of the moment_____________________________________________ 20
2.10.4.1. Brexit ______________________________________________________________ 21
A. Withdrawal agreement ____________________________________________________ 21
B. The Trade and CooperaGon Agreement (TCA) __________________________________ 21
2.10.5. AddiGonal informaGon ____________________________________________________ 22
2.10.6. Pioneers – some of the architects of the European project _______________________ 23
Chapter 3: Who runs the EU? _____________________________________________________ 24
1. Power-sharing in the EU ______________________________________________________________ 24
1.1 Federalism, supranaGonalism and intergovernmentalism (= theories of governance) _______ 24
1.2 The conferral of competences between the EU and its Member States __________________ 25
1.3 The principles of subsidiarity and proporGonality ___________________________________ 25
2. The insGtuGonal structure of the EU_____________________________________________________ 26
2.1 The insGtuGons and other Union bodies ______________________________________________ 26
2.2 The funcGons of the government ____________________________________________________ 26
2.3 The European Parliament (ArGcles 14 TEU and 223-234 TFEU) _____________________________ 26
2.3.1 ComposiGon and funcGons _____________________________________________________ 26
2.3.2 The legislaGve role of the EP ____________________________________________________ 27
2.3.3 The budgetary role of the EP (note that this is a legislaGve role) __________________________ 28
2.3.4 The supervisory role of the European Parliament (quasi-judicial) _________________________ 28
Europees recht 2
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
, 2.3.5 Conclusion ____________________________________________________________________ 29
2.4 The European Council (ArGcles 15-16 TEU and 235-236 TFEU) (= EC) __________________________ 29
2.4.1 ComposiGon and funcGons _______________________________________________________ 29
2.4.2 Conclusion ____________________________________________________________________ 30
2.5 The Council (ArGcles 16 TEU and 237-243 TFEU) __________________________________________ 30
2.5.1 ComposiGon and funcGons _______________________________________________________ 30
2.5.2 The Council's legislaGve role ______________________________________________________ 31
2.5.3 Decision-making in the Council ____________________________________________________ 31
2.5.4 Other roles of the Council ________________________________________________________ 31
2.6 The Commission (art. 17 TEU and art. 244-250 TFEU) ______________________________________ 31
2.6.1 The composiGon of the Commission ________________________________________________ 32
2.6.2 The Commission’s funcGons ______________________________________________________ 32
2.6.3 The Commission’s legislaGve role __________________________________________________ 32
2.6.4 The Commission’s administraGve and execuGve role ___________________________________ 32
2.6.5 The Commission’s supervisory funcGon _____________________________________________ 32
2.7 The Court of JusGce of the European Union (art. 19 TEU and art. 251-281 TEU) _________________ 33
2.7.1 The ComposiGon of the CJEU _____________________________________________________ 33
2.7.2 FuncGons and jurisdicGon ________________________________________________________ 33
2.7.3 Procedure before the CJEU _______________________________________________________ 33
2.7.4 The General Court ______________________________________________________________ 33
2.8 The European Central Bank (art. 282-284 TFEU) __________________________________________ 34
2.9 The Court of Auditors (art. 285-287 TFEU) _______________________________________________ 34
2.10 Other Community bodies ___________________________________________________________ 34
2.10.1 The Economic and Social Commifee (art. 300-304 TFEU) ______________________________ 34
2.10.2 The Commifee of the Regions (art. 300 and 305-307 TFEU) ____________________________ 34
2.10.3 European Investment Bank (art. 308-309 TFEU) ______________________________________ 34
3. InsGtuGonal balance, accountability and democracy in the EU ________________________________ 35
3.1 InsGtuGonal balance, or ‘how the insGtuGons share power’ _______________________________ 35
3.2 LegiGmacy, accountability and democracy in the EU _____________________________________ 35
Chapter 4: Sources of EU law _____________________________________________________ 36
1. Primary sources of EU law_____________________________________________________________ 36
1.1 The TreaGes _________________________________________________________________ 36
1.1.1 Protocols and declaraGons _____________________________________________________ 36
1.1.2 Revising primary legislaGon_____________________________________________________ 36
1.2 The General Principles of EU Law ________________________________________________ 37
1.2.1 Equality (‘discovered in the TreaGes’) _________________________________________ 37
1.2.2 Fundamental rights (‘discovered in naGonal and internaGonal law’) ________________ 37
2. Secondary sources of EU law __________________________________________________________ 37
2.1 Secondary law ___________________________________________________________________ 37
2.1.1 RegulaGons _________________________________________________________________ 37
2.1.2 DirecGves ___________________________________________________________________ 38
2.1.3 Decisions ___________________________________________________________________ 38
2.1.4 RecommendaGons, opinions and ‘soV law’ ________________________________________ 38
2.2 EnacGng secondary legislaGon ______________________________________________________ 38
2.2.1 Main actors in the creaGon of secondary legislaGon _________________________________ 38
2.2.2 The legal basis for the creaGon of EU secondary legislaGon ___________________________ 39
2.2.3 LegislaGve procedures _________________________________________________________ 39
2.3 VoGng procedures ________________________________________________________________ 40
2.3.1 Delegated acts _______________________________________________________________ 40
2.3.2 ImplemenGng acts ____________________________________________________________ 40
3. Case-law of the Court of JusGce of the European Union _____________________________________ 40
3.1. General principles of union law _____________________________________________________ 41
Europees recht 3
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
, 3.1.1. The funcGon and status of general principles ______________________________________ 41
4. InternaGonal agreement ______________________________________________________________ 42
4. Conclusions ________________________________________________________________________ 42
Chapter 5: The rela1onship between EU law and na1onal legal systems __________________ 43
5.1 The Doctrines of Direct Effect and Supremacy ____________________________________________ 43
5.1.1 The original posiGon ____________________________________________________________ 43
5.2 The doctrine of the supremacy of EU law________________________________________________ 43
5.2.1 The CreaGon of the Doctrine of Supremacy __________________________________________ 44
5.2.2 The Development of Doctrine _____________________________________________________ 44
5.3 The doctrine of the direct effect of EU law _______________________________________________ 47
5.3.1 The origin of the doctrine ________________________________________________________ 47
5.3.2 The CondiGons for direct effect ____________________________________________________ 48
5.3.3 Direct effect of different sources of Union law ____________________________________ 49
5.3.3.1 Direct effect and Treaty arGcles ________________________________________________ 49
5.3.3.2 Direct effect and regulaGons __________________________________________________ 49
5.3.3.3 Direct effect and decisions ____________________________________________________ 49
5.3.3.4 Direct effect of internaGonal agreements ________________________________________ 49
5.3.3.5 Direct effect and direcGves (art. 288 TFEU) _______________________________________ 49
5.4 Developing the effecGveness of direcGves ___________________________________________ 50
5.4.1 VerGcal direct effect: a broad interpretaGon of ‘state’ __________________________________ 50
5.4.2 Indirect effect or interpretaGve obligaGon ___________________________________________ 51
5.5 State liability for Damages (The Francovich Principle) ______________________________________ 52
5.5.1 The development of the state damages _____________________________________________ 52
5.5.2 The Court’s interpretaGon of ‘sufficiently serious’ _____________________________________ 52
Chapter 6: Enforcing Union law ___________________________________________________ 53
6.1 Enforcement of EU law rights before naGonal courts_______________________________________ 53
6.1.1 Courts ________________________________________________________________________ 53
6.1.2 Procedures ____________________________________________________________________ 53
6.1.3 Remedies _____________________________________________________________________ 54
6.1.3.1 The development of a uniform remedy: State damage (State liability) _________________ 55
6.2 Preliminary references and rulings _____________________________________________________ 55
6.2.1 The purpose of preliminary rulings _________________________________________________ 55
6.2.2 The effects of preliminary rulings __________________________________________________ 55
6.2.3 Which naGonal bodies may make a reference? _______________________________________ 55
6.2.4 a decision to refer (art. 267 TFEU) __________________________________________________ 56
6.2.4.1 The discreGon to refer _______________________________________________________ 56
6.2.4.2 The obligaGon to refer _______________________________________________________ 56
6.2.4.3 Acte clair: excepGons ________________________________________________________ 56
6.2.5 Can the Court of JusGce refuse to provide a ruling? ____________________________________ 57
6.2.6 The referral procedure ___________________________________________________________ 57
6.2.7 The consequences of the preliminary reference procedure ______________________________ 57
6.3 Enforcement acGons against Member States (art. 258-260 TFEU) ____________________________ 58
6.3.1 AcGons brought by the Commission (art. 258 TFEU) ___________________________________ 58
6.3.2 AcGons brought by Member States _________________________________________________ 59
6.3.3 The effecGveness of enforcement procedures ________________________________________ 59
6.4 AcGons against EU insGtuGons: judicial review of acts and omissions of the trade union bodies ____ 59
6.4.1 judicial review: AcGon to annul (art. 263-264 TFEU)____________________________________ 59
6.4.1.1 Whose acts may be challenged? _______________________________________________ 59
6.4.1.2 What acts may be challenged? ________________________________________________ 60
6.4.1.3 Grounds for bringing a challenge _______________________________________________ 60
6.4.1.4 Who can bring an acGon? ____________________________________________________ 60
Europees recht 4
Academiejaar 2023 - 2024
