Introduction

Welcome to the eLearning module on the preliminary ruling procedure

The European Union legal order applies in 27 Member States, each with its own legal system. This diversity may give rise to divergences in the application of EU law, particularly where its interpretation or validity is unclear. In order to ensure uniform application, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has exclusive jurisdiction to interpret EU law and to rule on its validity.

Where a national court or tribunal is confronted with such questions, it may — and, in certain cases, must — refer them to the CJEU under the preliminary ruling procedure. This procedure establishes a judicial dialogue between national courts and the Court in order to ensure the consistent application of EU law.

This e-learning module provides an overview of the preliminary ruling procedure, from the assessment of the need to make a reference to the delivery of the Court’s judgment.

The full content of the modules is also available in the following 5 languages that you can access by clicking on the respective button.