L'office du juge interne pour moduler les effets de l'annulation d'un acte contraire au droit de l'Union. Réflexions sur l'arrêt Association France Nature Environnement du Conseil d'Etat français

Abstract

(Series Information) European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, 2017 2(1), 259-270 | European Forum Insight of 1 June 2017 | (Table of Contents) I. Introduction. - II. Les prérogatives reconnues aux juges nationaux en matière de modulation. - II.1. Le choix du juge interne de la modulation. - II.2. Les conditions de la modulation par le juge interne. - III. Les obligations pesant sur les juges internes en matière de renvoi préjudiciel. - III.1. Les obligations de tous les juges internes. - III.2. Les obligations du Conseil d'Etat français. | (Abstract) This Insight focuses on the decision Association France Nature Environnement (judgment of 3 November 2016, n. 360212) adopted by French Conseil d'Etat on the basis of a preliminary ruling of the Court of Justice. The combined effect of the two decisions - the preliminary ruling of the Court of Justice (judgment of 28 July 2016, case C-379/15, Association France Nature Environnement) and the judgment of the Conseil d'Etat - is to recognise to the national judges the power to limit in time the effects of a declaration of the illegality of a national measure inconsistent with European Law, under certain conditions mainly linked to the need to avoid adverse effect for the environment arising from the annulment. At a close analysis, however, this power is subject to quite restrictive conditions, that also include the duty of the Conseil d'Etat as a last instance court, to refer the issue to the Court of Justice under Art. 267, para. 3, TFEU.

Keywords

• national judge's powers
• power to maintain certain effects of a measure incompatible with eu law provisionally
• obligation to make a reference to the court for a preliminary ruling
• french conseil d'etat
• directive 2001/42
• preliminary ruling