Preliminary Rulings Procedure

The Preliminary Rulings Procedure allows courts from one country within the European Union to ask the European Court of Justice for guidance on how to interpret EU law in specific cases. This helps ensure consistent application of EU regulations across all member states. When a national court encounters a legal question regarding EU law that is essential to resolving a case, it can request a ruling from the ECJ. The ECJ then provides a binding interpretation, which the national court applies to reach a final decision, promoting uniformity in EU law enforcement.