Locus Standi for Natural and Legal Persons Under Action for Annulment Procedure in European Union Law

Avrupa Birliği Hukukunda Gerçek ve Tüzel Kişilerin İptal Davası Açma Hakkı

Hande BİLGİ

According to the European Union Law, acts of the European Union Institutions can be challenged under some conditions. Locus Standi which gives right to applicants to bring an action to the court is one of the important conditions, especially for natural and legal persons who have to prove its direct and individual concern in order to challenge the acts of the European Union Institutions within the scope of Action for Annulment Procedure under Article 263 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Action for Annulment Procedure is important for judicial protection of natural and legal persons, whereas it has some obstacles arising from the lack of definitions of direct concern and individual concern under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Thus the European Court of Justice has been playing an important role for interpretation of these conditions. In line with this paper, terms and conditions of being an applicant of Action for Annulment Procedure as natural and legal persons will be examined.

Action for Annulment, Locus Standi for Natural and Legal Persons, Non-Privileged Applicants, Direct Concern, Individual Concern.

Avrupa Birliği Hukukuna göre Avrupa Birliği Enstitüleri’nin işlemleri bazı şartlar dahilinde iptal edilebilir. Başvuranlara bir işlemi mahkeme önüne getirme hakkı veren Dava Hakkı da Avrupa Birliğinin İşleyişi Hakkında Anlaşma’nın 263. maddesinde düzenlenen iptal davası kapsamında Avrupa Birliği Enstitüleri’nin işlemlerini iptal ettirebilmek için doğrudan ilgi ve bireysel ilgi kriterlerini yerine getirmek zorunda olan gerçek ve tüzel kişiler açısından önemli şartlardan biridir. İptal davası, gerçek ve tüzel kişilerin yargısal koruması açısından önemli olmakla birlikte doğrudan ilgi ve bireysel ilgi kavramlarına ilişkin Avrupa Birliğinin İşleyişi Hakkında Anlaşma’da açık bir tanımlama olmaması iptal davasına başvurulmasında bazı engellere sebep olmaktadır. Bu sebeple Avrupa Adalet Divanı bu kriterlerin yorumlanmasında önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Bu çalışma kapsamında, Avrupa Birliği Hukukunda gerçek ve tüzel kişilerin iptal davası açmasının şartları incelenecektir.

İptal Davası, Gerçek ve Tüzel Kişiler İçin Dava Hakkı, İmtiyazsız Başvuru Sahipleri, Doğrudan İlgi, Bireysel İlgi.

I. Introduction

Since the European Union (hereinafter referred to as “EU” is different than other international organizations in terms of transferring the sovereignty rights of the Member States (hereinafter referred to as “MS” to the EU institutions, it is important to provide judicial review for the actions of the EU and its institutions in order to protect not only the balance between the competences of the EU and the MS but also the individuals rights under the EU Law.

Within the scope of EU Law, individuals have some rights in order to challenge the EU acts under the Treaty on European Union (hereinafter referred to as “TEU” and Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as “TFEU” and as “Treaties” collectively with the TEU)¹ such as preliminary ruling² and Action for Annulment Procedure.

Action for Annulment Procedure which is embodied under Article 263 of the TFEU provides legality review of the EU acts on the grounds of (i) lack of competence, (ii) infringement of an essential procedural requirement, (iii) infringement of the Treaties or of any rule of law relating to their application, (iv) misuse of power. However application of the Action for Annulment Procedure is limited for individuals by requirement of proving its direct and individual concern.