Talking Now? Preliminary Rulings in and from the New Member States

Abstract

This short contribution reflects on the first decade of the preliminary rulings procedure in the new Member States. It looks at three layers in turn. First, the (crude) statistics are reproduced. Second, several notes are attached to the numbers, assessing more closely what lies within and beneath them. Third, the deeper, structural level is briefly touched upon, by zooming in on one question: are there any specific elements or characteristics that the new Member States have brought into the preliminary ruling procedure?

Keywords: Preliminary rulings; new EU Member States; Court of Justice; statistics; motives for submitting a request for a preliminary ruling; judicial hierarchy