Your Cart
European Court of Justice

European Court of Justice

The European Court of Justice (ECJ), also simply known as the Court of Justice, is one of the two courts of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the other being the General Court of the European Union. The ECJ was established in 1952 and is based in Luxembourg. It is the highest court of the European Union (EU) and is responsible for interpreting and enforcing EU law. It


The ECJ is composed of one judge from each EU member state, as well as a panel of advocates general who provide non-binding opinions on cases before the court. The court's main function is to ensure that EU law is applied consistently across all member states, and to resolve disputes between EU institutions and member states.


The ECJ has the power to interpret EU law and to issue binding rulings on member states and EU institutions. Its decisions have a significant impact on the EU legal system and can affect areas such as trade, competition, environmental regulation, and human rights. The court also has the power to impose financial penalties on member states that do not comply with its rulings.


In addition to its role in interpreting and enforcing EU law, the ECJ also has a number of other functions. It has the power to provide preliminary rulings on questions of EU law referred to it by national courts, and it also has jurisdiction over certain disputes between EU institutions and their employees.


The ECJ plays a crucial role in upholding the rule of law and ensuring the consistent application of EU law across all member states. Its decisions have a significant impact on the EU legal system and on the lives of people living and doing business within the EU.


You can learn more about this topic and relevant case law with our Public Law, EU Law, and Constitutional Law notes.

Trusted by thousands of law students worldwide

Where are our students from?

Yale University

Council of Europe

Baker Mckenzie 

University of Chicago

Columbia University

New York University

University of Michigan 

INSEAD

University College London (UCL)

London School of Economics (LSE)

King’s College London (KCL)

University of London

University of Manchester

University of Zurich

University of York

Brandeis University

University of Exeter

University of Sheffield

Boston University

University of Washington

University of Leeds

University of Law

Royal Holloway, University of London 

Birkbeck, University of London

SOAS, University of London

University of Kent

University of Hull

Queen’s University Belfast

Toronto Metropolitan University

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Your perfect companion for open-book and closed-book exams

Diagrams and Charts

Our carefully designed diagrams and charts will guide you through complex legal issues.

Clear and Succinct Definitions

Key concepts are concisely defined to help you understand legal topics quickly.

Statutory Provisions

Statutory provisions are provided side by side with legal concepts to help you swiftly locate the relevant legislation.

Case Summaries

We have summarised important cases for you so that you don't need to read long and boring cases.

Rules and Exceptions

Rules and exceptions are clearly listed so that you know when a rule applies and when it doesn't.

Terminology

Legal terms and key concepts are explained at the beginning of each chapter to help you learn efficiently.

Case Law

Case law is provided side by side with legal concepts so that you know how legal principles and precedents were established.

Law Essay Guide

You will learn essential law exam skills and essay writing techniques that are not taught in class.

Problem Question Guide

We will show you how to answer problem questions step by step to achieve first-class results.

Structured Explanations

Complex legal concepts are broken down into concise and digestible bullet point explanations.

Legal Research

You will learn legal research techniques with our study guide and become a proficient legal researcher.

Exam-focused

All essential concepts, principles, and case law are included so that you can answer exam questions quickly.