Costa v. ENEL case
The Costa v. ENEL case (1964) was a landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that established the principle of the supremacy of European Union law over national laws. The case arose when an Italian man, Costa, challenged ENEL, a nationalized electricity company, citing that Italian law conflicted with EU law. The ECJ ruled that EU law takes precedence over national law, meaning that member states cannot adopt laws that contradict EU regulations. This decision reinforced the authority of EU institutions and the legal framework of the European Community, promoting unity among member states.
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The Costa v. ENEL case, decided by the European Court of Justice in 1964, established the principle of the supremacy of European Union (EU) law over national laws. In this case, an Italian citizen, Costa, challenged a nationalization law that conflicted with EU regulations. The court ruled that EU law takes precedence, meaning that member states cannot apply national laws that contradict EU legislation. This decision reinforced the authority of EU institutions and ensured that EU laws are uniformly applied across all member countries, promoting legal consistency within the EU.