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The Doctrine of Self–executing Treaties and Community Law: A Pioneer Decision of the Court of Justice of the European Community

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2017

Abstract

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Type
Editorial Comment
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of International Law 1973

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References

1 An important new study is Koller, , Die Unmittelbabe Anwendbarkeit Völkerhechtlicher Verträge und des EWG-Vertrages im Innerstaatlichen Bereich, Schweizerische Beiträge Zum Europarecht, Vol. 8 (1971)Google Scholar. Other recent studies are listed in Editorial Comment, 65 AJIL 548, at 550, n. 14 (1971).

2 Ibid., 627.

3 Ibid., 548 (1971).

4 International Fruit Company N.V. v. Productschap voor Groenten en Fruit, Court of Justice of the European Communities, Cases 21 to 24/72, Dec. 12, 1972 (Advance copy). A translation is printed infra pp 559–63.

5 13 CEJO Nos. L 57, at 20, L 69, at 33, L 84, at 2 1.

6 Decisions addressed to member states may create rights for and obligations of individuals, Grad v. Finanzamt Traunstein, Case No. 9/70, 16 Rec. de la Jurisprudence de la Cour, 825 at 838, 844 (1971).

7 In the case of Commission v. Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of Belgium, Cases 90 and 91/63, 10 Rec. de la Jurisprudence de la Cour, 1217 at 1232 (1964) the Court held that acts of the Council adopted under a designation and in a form which are not those provided by Art. 189 do not have binding force within the meaning of that article.

8 Reg. No. 460/70, March 6, 1970, 13 CEJO No. L 58, at 1 (1970).

9 Reg. No. 1524/70, July 20, 1970, 13 CEJO No. L 182, at 1 (1970).

10 Reg. No. 1526/70, July 20, 1970, 13 CEJO No. L 183, at 1 (1970).

11 Reg. No. 2836/72, Dec. 19, 1972, 15 CEJO No. L 300, at 1 (1972).

12 Reg. No. 2838/72, Dec. 19, 1972, 15 CEJO No. L 300, at 96 (1972).

13 Reg. No. 2840/72, Dec. 19, 1972, 15 CEJO No. L 300, at 188 (1972).

14 Council Decision, Nov. 27, 1967, 11 CEJO No. L 305, at 1 (1968).

15 Council Decision, March 17, 1970, 13 CEJO No. L 66, at 1 (1970).

16 Council Decision, March 22, 1972, 15 CEJO No. L 90, at 1 (1972).

17 Council Decision, March 17, 1970, 13 CEJO No. L 66, at 1 (1970).

18 Council Decision, Jan. 22, 1972, 15 CEJO No. L 73, at 4 (1970).

19 Cf. Brinkhorst & Kuiper, 9 Common Market L. Rev. 364, at 365 (1972).

20 In Germany the municipal effect of an international treaty which has been entered into with legislative approval pursuant to Art. 57 of the Bonn Constitution is subject to abrogation by a subsequent statute, unless the treaty amounts to general rule of international law, within the meaning of Art. 25 of the Bonn Constitution, see Maunz-Dürig-Herzog, Grundgesetz, Art. 25 marginal note 29 (2d ed. 1964)Google Scholar; Schröcker, , Das vertragswidrige Gesetz, Deutsches Verwaltungsblatt 369 (1958)Google Scholar; cf. also the judgment of the Tax Court, Hamburg, supra note 2.

21 In Italy, likewise, a subsequent statute may abrogate the internal effects of a prior treaty which has been concluded with legislative approval pursuant to the Italian Constitution, Art. 87, par. 8, Constitutional Court, Order No. 32 of May 18, 1960, 112 Giurisprudenza Italiana I, 1, col. 1073 (1960); Constitutional Court, Order No. 1, March 11, 1961, 113 Giurisprudenza Italiana I, 1, col. 859 (1961).

22 État Beige c. Soc. An. Fromagerie Franco-Suisse Le Ski, Cour de Cassation, May 27, 1971, Pasicrisie Belge I, 886 (1971).

23 Netherlands Constitution, Art. 66, construed in Société An. Maritime et Commerciale v. The Netherlands, Hoge Raad, March 6, 1959 [1962] Nederlandse Jurisprudentie 13.

24 U.K. Public General Acts and Measures, 1972 c. 68.

25 Commission of the European Communities v. Council of the European Communities, Court of Justice, March 31, 1971, Case No. 22/70, 17 Rec. de la Jurisprudence de la Cour, 263 (1971).

26 N.V. Algemene Transport-en Expeditie Onderneming van Gend & Loos c. Administration Fiscale Néerlandaise, Court of Justice of the European Communities, 9 Rec. de la Jurisprudence de la Cour (Fr.) 1 (1963) (Case No. 26/62). See comment by Riesenfeld and Buxbaum, 58 AJIL 152 (1964) and Winter, Direct Applicability and Direct EffectTwo Distinct and Different Concepts in Community Law, 9 Common Market L. Rev. 425, at 432–434 (1972).

27 See my comments to that effect in The Doctrine of Self-Executing Treaties and GATT, 65 AJIL 548 at 550 (1971). My views are now shared by Koller note 1 supra at 102 (1971) and Winter, note 26 supra 425 at 433 (1972).

28 Société p.A. Salgoil c. Ministère du Commerce Extérieure de la République Italienne, Court of Justice of the European Communities, 14 Rec. de Jurisprudence de la Cour (Fr.) 661 (1968) (Case No. 13/68).

29 Riesenfeld, , The Effect of Regional Cooperation Upon the Traditional Concept of State, in Legal Thought in the United States of America Under Contemporary Pressures (ed. Hazard, and Wagner, ) 483 at 508 (1970)Google Scholar.