CJEU C-53/23 / Judgment

Asociația ‘Forumul Judecătorilor din România’, Asociația ‘Mișcarea pentru Apărarea Statutului Procurorilor’ v Parchetul de pe lângă Înalta Curte de Casaţie şi Justiţie – Procurorul General al României
Policy area
Justice, freedom and security
Deciding body type
Court of Justice of the European Union
Deciding body
Court (First Chamber)
Decision date
08/05/2024
ECLI (European case law identifier)
ECLI:EU:C:2024:388
  • CJEU C-53/23 / Judgment

    Key facts of the case:

    Reference for a preliminary ruling – Rule of law – Judicial independence – Article 19(1) TEU – Cooperation and Verification Mechanism – Benchmarks subscribed to by Romania – Fight against corruption – Investigations of offences committed within the judicial system – Action challenging the nomination of prosecutors with competence to conduct those investigations – Standing of professional associations of judges to bring proceedings.

    Outcome of the case:

    On those grounds, the Court (First Chamber) hereby rules:

    Article 2 and Article 19(1) TEU, read in combination with Articles 12 and 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

    must be interpreted as not precluding national legislation which, by making the admissibility of an action for annulment challenging the appointment of prosecutors competent to conduct criminal prosecutions against judges subject to the existence of a legitimate private interest, excludes, in practice, such an action from being brought by professional associations of judges seeking to defend the principle of the independence of the judiciary.