Important Case law of the European Court of Justice

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Important Case law of the European Court of
Justice

• by
• Jens Fejö
• Professor, Law department, Copenhagen Business
  School
• Member of the Danish Complaints Board for Public
  Procurement
• Member of the Danish Competition Appeals Tribunal

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Outline

• The status of the European Court of Justice (ECJ)
• Enforcement before the ECJ
• The ECJ on enforcement in the national systems in
  the Member States (MS)
• Some Comments

Jens Fejø
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The Status of the European Court of Justice (ECJ)

• Important and creative institution in the
  European Union, 27 judges, GA.
• Guardian of fundamental principles, such as
• Direct Effect of Community Law
• Treaty provisions
• Secondary legislation
• Supremacy of Community Law
• Equal Treatment
• Human Rights

Jens Fejø
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The Status of the European Court of Justice (ECJ)
(continued)

• Judgments appear as taken in unanimity
• Different ways of access to the ECJ
• Direct cases (against MS)
• Preliminary judgments
• From lower national Courts in the MS
• From national last instance Courts
• From national PP Complaints Bords
• No direct access for persons or enter-prises,
  unless subject to decisions et. al.

Jens Fejø
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Enforcement before the ECJ

• The European Commission may bring matters before
  the ECJ against a MS for violating the MSs
  obligations in relation to EU rules
• Treaty provisions
• Provision from secondary legislation, e.g.
  directives, e.g.
• Hellenic Republic, Case C-236/95 C-394/02
  C-74/94
• Austria, case C-328/96
• Spain, case C-283/00 C-214/00
• Germany, case C503/04 C-20/01 C-433/93
• Ireland, case C-353796
• The Netherlands, case C-359/93
• Belgium, case C-87/94 R

Jens Fejø
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Enforcement before the ECJ

• The ECJ may answer questions e.g. on substantive
  matters relating to Public Procurement
• Examples from practice
• Beentjes, case 31/87
• Mousten Vestergaard, case 59/00
• Agora, case C-223/99 and C-260/99
• EVN v Wienstrom, case C-448/01
• Coname, case 231/03
• Stadt Halle, case 26/03

Jens Fejø
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Enforcement before the ECJ

• The ECJ may answer questions on procedural
  matters relating to Public Procurement
• Examples from practice
• Tögel, case C-76/97
• Köllensperger, case C-103/97
• Hospital Ingenieure v Landeskrankenanstalten-Betri
  ebsgesellschaft, case C-258/97
• Alcatel Austria, case C-81/98
• Hospital Ingenieure v Stadt Wien, case C-92/00

Jens Fejø
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The ECJ on enforcement in the national systems in
the Member States (MS)

• ECJ may impose consequences not permitted under
  national systems
• Suspension of contracts
• Germany-case, case C-503/04 shows move away from
  national autonomy in remedies
• Even where autonomy still exists under national
  law for remedies on suppliers the ECJ may
  regulate

Jens Fejø
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Some Comments