References for Preliminary Rulings

AbstractChapter 1 gives an account of the development of the preliminary ruling procedure and outlines the different types of preliminary references in the EU system. It gives an account of the broadly similar reference procedure laid down in the European Economic Area (EEA) Agreement where the EFTA Court admits preliminary references from the EFTA States, and it provides an account of other ways of obtaining guidance on interpretation of EU law, namely questions to the Commission and the European Ombudsman. Chapter 1 ends with a discussion of what future changes one might envisage for the preliminary reference procedure.