Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking and Laval Cases:
right to strike vs. right of establishment /
freedom to provide services
Christian Welz _ Dublin, 17 April 2015
[email protected]
3 grand principles of EU law
• direct applicability
• direct effect
• supremacy
3 grand principles of EU law
• direct applicability =
• EU law may become part of the national law without intervention of the national parliaments
– case for all EC regulations
– NOT the case for directives and the Treaties
– e.g. the Treaty of Lisbon
– had to be ratified according to the national practices of the 28 Member States (i.e. either by referenda or votes by the legislator)
Direct applicability
MSlegal/nat. persons
International law
Direct applicability
MSlegal / nat. persons
EU law
3 grand principles of EU law
• direct effect =
• EU law may generate rights on which individuals can rely
before domestic courts
– all regulations, and, exceptionally, for directives
• EUJ criteria for primary EU law:
– a) clear and precise
– b) unconditional
– c) capable of producing rights for individuals
– e.g. articles 30, 39, 49, 101, 110, 157, 294 TFEU
3 grand principles of EU law
• supremacy =
–EU ‘breaks’ national law, even national
constitutional law
–national administrations and courts must not
apply national law in breach of EU Law
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking / Laval Cases – legal issues
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - facts
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - employers’ view
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - trade unions’ view
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Viking Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Laval Case - facts
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Laval Case - facts
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Laval Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Laval Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Laval Case - judgment
Coordinating the Network of EU Agencies 2015
Laval Case - judgment