Preliminary rulings of the Supreme Administrative Court: procedural and guarantee aspects

Abstract

The research problem is preliminary protection as a preventive action of the court which can protect the individual from violation of their rights. Preliminary questions can be considered a mechanism for effective legal protection of the individual. The judicial dialogue initiated by preliminary questions has, apart from determining the result of a particular case, a twofold effect: building up the acquis de l’Union and influencing national law and its application. The aim of this article is to examine the preliminary procedure: firstly from a national perspective, secondly from administrative courts perspective, and thirdly from the perspective of the Supreme Administrative Court as a court “against whose decisions there is no judicial remedy under national law”. The paper covers the normative basis for preliminary questions (in the context of the principles of EU law and the paradigm of co-application of European and national law), and then selected examples of the use of this mechanism by the SAC. The text is dominated by the dogmatic-legal method and thus involves an analysis of legal provisions and the relevant case law. It concludes that the experience of the SAC confirms that, in cooperation with the CJEU, it effectively performs its task of ensuring respect for the law while interpreting and applying the EU treaties. It makes legitimate use of the preliminary ruling procedure, which confirms the role of the national court as an EU court. The questions and case law following preliminary rulings contribute to the development of the acquis in the various areas covered by the jurisdiction of the administrative courts. Therefore, the issue in question – together with the practical scheme of the preliminary ruling procedure – is important, and the updated 'review' of the case law of the SAC constitutes an element of novelty.