Table of Contents
Introduction:
The European Court of Justice (also known as the ECJ) is a judicial entity of the European Union (EU). Its primary responsibilities include interpreting EU law and ensuring that it is applied in a uniform manner throughout all member states. It has the authority to consider matters that have been referred to it by national courts, and it also has the authority to hear cases that have been brought before it by EU institutions, member states, and private citizens.
Yet, throughout the years, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has been the target of criticism, with some saying that it has been used for political purposes to skew its decisions. In this essay, we will investigate twenty different situations in which the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has been manipulated, and then discuss the ramifications these cases have had for the institution.
The Matter of the Viking Line (2007)
In this particular instance, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided that Finnish law was in violation of EU law because it forced foreign enterprises operating in Finland to employ Finnish workers.
The decision was hailed as a triumph for the unrestricted mobility of employees within the EU, but it was lamented as a setback for the protection of workers’ rights. Several people believed that the European Court of Justice was more concerned with advancing economic unity than it was with safeguarding workers’ rights.
The Laval Investigation (2007)
In the case known as “Laval,” a Latvian construction company that was active in Sweden was involved. Because the company allegedly did not pay its employees in accordance with Swedish collective bargaining agreements, the corporation was accused of breaking Swedish labor regulations. The European Court of Justice decided that the company could legally conduct business in Sweden without being subject to the Swedish government’s regulations regarding labor. The judgment was interpreted as a defeat for the rights of workers and a triumph for firms that wished to operate across borders without being beholden to the rules of the local communities in which they did business.
The Argument for the Preservation of Data (2014)

In this particular instance, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided that a European Directive that compelled member states to keep records on the communications of their citizens was in violation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Nonetheless, the judgment was considered a loss for law enforcement organizations that relied on the data to prevent crime and investigate it. Privacy advocates celebrated the decision as a success, while law enforcement agencies lamented it as a setback.
The Matter of Schrems (2015)
In the case of Schrems, an Austrian privacy activist named Schrems challenged the legitimacy of Facebook’s to practise of sending the personal information of European individuals to the United States. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) came to the conclusion that the Safe Harbor agreement, which had previously permitted such transfers, was illegal because it did not effectively protect the privacy rights of European individuals. The decision was hailed as a triumph by privacy campaigners and a crushing blow to companies whose international operations were dependent on the transfer of personal information.
The Uber Conflict (2017)
French legislation was at the center of the Uber lawsuit. Under this rule, Uber drivers needed to obtain professional licenses, and the number of Uber vehicles that were allowed to operate in France was capped. The European Court of Justice came to the conclusion that Uber was in fact a transportation firm and not a digital platform as Uber had maintained. As a result, the ECJ decided that Uber was subject to the same rules as traditional taxi companies. The decision was considered a win for traditional taxi businesses and a loss for Uber, which had been operating in a regulatory grey area before the judgment.
The Breast Implant Litigation Concerning PIP (2017)
In the PIP breast implant case, a French business was at the center of the controversy because it had marketed defective breast implants to thousands of women in different countries. The European Court of Justice came to the conclusion that the French authorities did not have the authority to demand that the company’s insurer compensate the victims of the defective implants. The victims were considered to have suffered a defeat as a result of the verdict, while the insurance industry celebrated a successful outcome.
The Case Concerning the Prohibition of Religious Symbols (2017)
In this particular instance, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided that a Belgian corporation has the legal right to prohibit its employees from visibly displaying their religious affiliation by donning items such as headscarves. The decision was interpreted as a win for businesses that wanted to enforce dress standards and as a loss for the freedom of religious expression.
The Case Concerning the Transfer of Refugees to Poland and Hungary (2017)
A decision was made by the European Union to move migrants from Greece and Italy to other member states, and one of the cases was the displacement of refugees to Poland and Hungary. Poland and Hungary were two of the countries who had refused to comply with the ruling, alleging that it was unjust.
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