Admissions Open
Admissions Open
The European Court of Justice (ECJ), also known as Court of Justice is the Supreme Court of the European Union in affairs of the European Union. It is chiefly assigned with the functions of interpreting the EU law and ensuring its equal application across all member states of the EU. The court also acts as arbiter between the EU’s institutions and can annul the latter’s legal rights if it acts outside its powers. The ECJ has developed two generic rules i.e. direct effect and efficacy, on which its legal order rests. The courts ensure the correct interpretation and application of primary and secondary law of the EU. They review the legality of acts of the Union institutions and check whether member states have fulfilled their duties under the EU law. Although the primary objective of the EU has been economic and political integration but the ECJ has decided many cases that deal with fundamental rights. The ECJ always strive to the principle that the Treaties must not be interpreted rigidly rather there should be flexibility in order to ensure the state of integration and of the purposes of the Treaties themselves. This principle has allowed the EU to legislate in fields where there are no specific Treaty provisions, such as the fight against pollution; the Court in fact authorized the EU to take measures relating to criminal law in order to achieve the goals pursued as regards environmental protection.