European Court of Justice

The European Court of Justice is the highest court of that entity known as the European Union (EU) or the European Community (EC). The EU includes the EC and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), and formerly included the now-expired (1952 to 2002) European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). Each of these entities was created by an international treaty, and the European Court of Justice is one of the institutions common to the EU, the EC, and EURATOM.

The European Court of Justice is a supranational court distinct from a court of one of the EU Member States. Its purpose is to ensure that in the interpretation and application of the various component treaties and legislation, the law is observed. The European Court of Justice gives ...