Court of Justice of the European Union

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) is the judicial branch of the European Union (EU). It is located in the Kirchberg quarter of Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, and is made up of two separate courts: the Court of Justice and the General Court. From 2005 to 2016, it also included the Civil Service Tribunal. This court system is unique and is called 'sui generis', meaning 'of its own kind'.

The CJEU plays an important role in ensuring that European Union law is applied and understood the same way across all EU countries. It helps resolve legal disagreements between national governments and EU institutions. It can also support individuals, companies, or groups if their rights have been affected by EU actions.

Composition

The CJEU has two main courts. The Court of Justice, also called the European Court of Justice, helps explain EU law. It can also handle cases where EU member states or EU institutions do something wrong. This court has one judge from each EU country, and they are helped by 11 Advocates General.

The General Court deals with cases from people or companies against EU groups, or from EU countries against certain EU bodies. It also handles problems about jobs and money. This court has two judges from each EU country.

Both sets of judges are chosen by the governments of EU countries for six-year terms.

Function

The Court of Justice of the European Union makes sure that the rules of the European Union are followed correctly. It checks if the actions of EU groups are allowed and helps countries follow the rules too. It also explains what the EU laws mean. The way the courts work is set by special rules called the Rules of Procedure.

History

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) started in 1951 as a single court called the Court of Justice of the European Coal and Steel Communities. In 1957, with the start of the Euratom and the European Economic Community, its name changed to the Court of Justice of the European Communities (CJEC). In 1988, the Court asked the Commission to create a Court of First Instance, and in 2004, it added the Civil Service Tribunal for cases about EU staff. The Tribunal was later closed, and its work moved to the Court of First Instance, which was renamed the "General Court".

In 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon changed the name of the whole system to the "Court of Justice of the European Union" and renamed the CJEC to the "Court of Justice".

The main working language of the Court of Justice of the European Union is French.

Legal interpretation

The Court of Justice of the European Union supports a fair understanding of the European Union's laws against unfair treatment, making sure everyone is treated equally.