The European Court of Justice's ruling in Van Gend en Loos v Nederlandse Administratie der Belastingen establishes the principle of direct effect, one of the most important, if not the most important, decisions in the development of European Union law.

European Court of Justice

Supreme court in the European Union, part of the Court of Justice of the European Union

The European Court of Justice, officially the Court of Justice, is the supreme court of the European Union (EU) in matters of European Union law. As a part of the Court of Justice of the European Union, it is tasked with interpreting EU law and ensuring its uniform application…

Van Gend en Loos v Nederlandse Administratie der Belastingen

Landmark 1963 European Court of Law decision

Van Gend en Loos v Nederlandse Administratie der Belastingen (1963) Case 26/62 was a landmark case of the European Court of Justice which established that provisions of the Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community were capable of creating legal rights which could be…

Direct effect of European Union law

Principle in European Union law

In the law of the European Union, direct effect is the principle that Union law may, if appropriately framed, confer rights on individuals which not only the courts but also the public administration of member states of the European Union are bound to recognise and enforce.

Law of the European Union

European Union law is a system of supranational laws operating within the 27 member states of the European Union (EU). It has grown over time since the 1952 founding of the European Coal and Steel Community, to promote peace, social justice, a social market economy with full…