EuGH

EuGH is the common abbreviation for Europäischer Gerichtshof, the European Court of Justice, the supreme judicial body of the European Union for questions of EU law. It is part of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), together with the General Court, and is based in Luxembourg.

The court’s primary role is to ensure the uniform interpretation and application of EU law across all member states. It settles disputes involving EU institutions and member states, reviews the validity of EU acts, and provides authoritative interpretations of EU law through its preliminary ruling procedure. National courts can request the EuGH to interpret provisions of the EU treaties or acts of EU institutions, which helps achieve consistency in how EU law is understood and enforced.

Composition and procedures: the EuGH comprises one judge from each member state, currently 27, and 11 Advocates-General who provide independent opinions on cases. Judges and Advocates-General are appointed by mutual agreement of the member states for renewable terms of six years. The Court sits in different formations, including chambers and a Grand Chamber, and conducts proceedings in multiple official languages of the EU.

Significant role and impact: the EuGH has helped establish key principles of EU constitutional law, including the primacy of EU law over national law (as in Costa v ENEL) and, in some cases, directly effective rights of individuals (as in Van Gend en Loos). Its rulings guide national legislation, administrative practice, and policy across the Union, contributing to the uniform application of EU law throughout member states.