To ensure that the law is enforced, understood and uniformly applied in all Member States, a judicial institution is essential.
That institution is the Court of Justice of the European Communities. It is composed of three courts: the Court of Justice (created in 1952), the Court of First Instance (created in 1988) and the Civil Service Tribunal (created in 2004).
The Court of Justice of the European Communities, together with the national courts, thus constitutes the European Communitys judiciary. The Courts main task is to interpret Community law uniformly and to rule on its validity. It answers questions referred to it by the national courts, which play a vital role, as they apply Community law at local level.
The judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Communities together with the treaties, regulations, directives and decisions make up Community law. Website:
curia.europa.eu/en/