Horizontal Direct Effect of the Charter in EU Law: Ramifications for the European Economic Area

In a consistent line of jurisprudence, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has now stated that, as a last resort, provisions of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (the Charter) can have horizontal direct effect. More specifically, this possibility occurs when a provision of the Charter has been given specific expression to from a directive. Whilst it has long been the case that directives in themselves continue to not have horizontal direct effect in EU law, there is no doubting that the horizontal direct effect of provisions of the Charter, which in turn are given specific expression to from a directive, is increasingly being found. This possibility of horizontal direct effect of the Charter is of striking significance for European Economic Area (EEA) law for two reasons. Firstly, there is no doctrine of direct effect in EEA law according to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Court; and secondly, the Charter is not incorporated into EFTA pillar of EEA law in any way. Given the potential for the widening divergence between EU law and EEA law on the existence of horizontal direct effect of the Charter when given specific expression to from a directive, with a homogeneity gap opening up, this article considers the ramifications for the EEA of such advances in EU law, and proposes some solutions for how these EU legal developments can be responded to within EEA law.

8. The Nature and Effect of EU Law: Direct Effect and Beyond

All books in this flagship series contain carefully selected substantial extracts from key cases, legislation, and academic debate, providing students with a stand-alone resource. This chapter discusses the doctrine of direct effect. In a broad sense direct effect means that provisions of binding EU law, which are sufficiently clear, precise, and unconditional to be considered justiciable, can be invoked and relied on by individuals before national courts. The legal effect of directives is complex. They have vertical but not horizontal direct effect. The ECJ has however crafted a growing number of qualifications to the proposition that directives do not have horizontal direct effect. The result is that directives can still have ‘legal effect’ on private parties in various ways through the principle of indirect effect/harmonious interpretation; incidental effect; fundamental rights; general principles of law; and where a regulation makes reference to a directive. The UK version contains a further section analysing issues concerning direct effect in relation to the UK post-Brexit.

8. The Nature and Effect of EU Law: Direct Effect and Beyond

All books in this flagship series contain carefully selected substantial extracts from key cases, legislation, and academic debate, providing students with a stand-alone resource. This chapter discusses the doctrine of direct effect. In a broad sense direct effect means that provisions of binding EU law, which are sufficiently clear, precise, and unconditional to be considered justiciable, can be invoked and relied on by individuals before national courts. The legal effect of directives is complex. They have vertical but not horizontal direct effect. The ECJ has however crafted a growing number of qualifications to the proposition that directives do not have horizontal direct effect. The result is that directives can still have ‘legal effect’ on private parties in various ways through the principle of indirect effect/harmonious interpretation; incidental effect; fundamental rights; general principles of law; and where a regulation makes reference to a directive. The UK version contains a further section analysing issues concerning direct effect in relation to the UK post-Brexit.

The right to paid annual leave as an EU fundamental social right. Comment on Bauer et al.: Joined Cases C-569/16 and C-570/16 Stadt Wuppertal v. Maria Elisabeth Bauer and Volker Willmeroth v. Martina Broßonn, EU:C:2018:871

This case note examines the judgment of Court of Justice of the European Union delivered in Joined Cases C-569/16 and C-570/16 Stadt Wuppertal v. Maria Elisabeth Bauer and Volker Willmeroth v. Martina Broßonn on 6 November 2018. It engages with the noteworthy aspects of the ruling, such as the horizontal direct effect of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (the Charter), the relationship between primary and secondary law in the European Union legal order and the scope of application of the Charter.

Farrell II and the Concept of an ‘Emanation of the State’

Summary The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) has established that directives cannot produce horizontal direct effect and thus may only be invoked against the State or its emanations. In the recent Farrell 2 judgement, the Court has clarified the concept of an ‘emanation of the State’ which is crucial for the purposes of applying vertical direct effect. The aim of this paper is to analyse the concept of an ‘emanation of the State’ presented in Farrell 2 ruling. Further, the article highlights that the judgement is a positive development as it brings consistency to the EU case law and corresponds to the present realities when new ‘emanations’ are emerging with the special powers attributed by the State.

7. The Nature and Effect of EU Law:

All books in this flagship series contain carefully selected substantial extracts from key cases, legislation, and academic debate, providing able students with a stand-alone resource. This chapter discusses the doctrine of direct effect. In a broad sense direct effect means that provisions of binding EU law, which are sufficiently clear, precise, and unconditional to be considered justiciable, can be invoked and relied on by individuals before national courts. The legal effect of directives is complex. They have vertical but not horizontal direct effect. The ECJ has however crafted a growing number of qualifications to the proposition that directives do not have horizontal direct effect. The result is that directives can still have ‘legal effect’ on private parties in various ways through the principle of indirect effect/harmonious interpretation; incidental effect; general principles of law; and where a regulation makes reference to a directive.