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Observatory on the practices of inter-legality by Italian Courts (2018-2022)

The aim of this Observatory is to give empirical evidences (as it is inherent to the inter-legality approach) to the evolution of the relationship between the Italian constitutional order and the EU on a crucial issue as it is the protection of fundamental rights.

The Observatory maps the reaction of ordinary Italian judges to the mandate of judgement 269/2017 over a period of 5 years, between its publication (December 2017) and 31 December 2022. After briefly recalling the subsequent judgements of the Italian Constitutional Court which fine-tuned the 269-mandate (Section 1), it enlists the references in which ordinary judges followed the 269-mandate (Section 2) or disregarded it (Section 3).

 

Section 1

Questions of constitutionality which contributed to the refinement of the new doctrine on dual preliminarity.

  • 19 March 2017, order by the Court of Appeal of Milan, decided by the ItCC with the judgment no. 63/2019 (EN translation). Relevant norms: articles 3 and 117.1 Const.; article 49 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: legality in criminal matters, retroactivity of sanctions.
  • 19 September 2017, order by Tribunale amministrativo del Lazio (sect. 1-quarter), decided by the ItCC with the judgment no. 20/2019 (EN translation).
  • 16 February 2018, several orders by Court of Cassation. The ItCC, with the order no. 117/2019 (EN translation), issued a preliminary reference to the CJEU, suggesting an interpretation of articles 47 and 48 CFREU consistent with articles 24 Const and 6 ECHR. The Court of Justice (Grand Chamber) accepted the suggestion (case C-481/19). The ItCC later applied the agreed interpretation (judgment 84/2021) Fundamental rights at issue: judicial protection, fair trial.
  • After a preliminary reference to the Court of Justice (C-302/19), the Cassation referred to the Constitutional Court and the latter seized the opportuinity to clarify once and for all that the 269-doctrine does not prevent previous involvement of the ECJ (judgement 67/2022, EN translation).
  • With judgement 149/2022, the Constitutional Court clarified that Charter norms with direct effect can be used as well as parameters of constitutional review (EN translation).

 

Section 2

Questions of constitutionality coherent with ItCC 269/2017

  1. 26 March 2019, Tribunale amministrativo regionale per il Lazio (sect 2), orders 99-100/2019. Relevant norms: articles 3, 41 Const.; articles 16, 20, 21 CFREU. The question was admitted and discussed, but declared unfounded by the ItCC (judgement 49/2021).
  2. Order 100/2019, see Section 2, n. 1
  3. 17 June 2019, several orders by the Court of Cassation. Relevant norms: articles 3, 31 Const.; articles 20, 21, 23, 33 and 34 CFREU. The ItCC, with the order no. 182/2020 (EN translation), issued a preliminary reference to the CJEU. The Court of Justice agreed on the incompatibility of domestic provisions with the article 34 of the Charter (case C-350/20). Fundamental rights at issue: social security, protection of motherhood.
  4. 17 October 2019, Tribunale di Bolzano order 78/2020. Relevant norms: articles 2, 3, 29 Const.; articles 7, 21 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: personal identity, non-discrimination, respect for private and family life. Decided with order 82/2021 and judgement 131/2022 (EN translation) on the equal surnames for children.
  5. 16 December 2019, Collegio Arbitrale ANAC, order 105/2020. Relevant norms: article 3, 97 Const. Fundamental rights at issue: efficienty and impartiality of the public administration. Declared inadmissible (judgement 239/2021). Only judgement abiding by the 269-doctrine in which Charter rights are not clearly identified (so far).
  6. 4 February 2020, order n. 102/2020 by the Court of Cassation. Deemed inadmissible by the ItCC, becasue of the intervention of the legislator in February 2021 (Order 60/2021). Relevant norms: articles 3, 27.3 Const.; articles 7, 21 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: respect for private and family life, equality and non-discrimination in the application of the European Arrest Warrant.
  7. 10 February 2020, order 174/2020 by Tribunale amministrativo del Lazio (section second bis). Relevant norms: articles 3, 11, 24, 28, 47, 97, 101, 102, 103, 111, 113, 117 c. 1 Const.; article 47 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: equality, liability of State’s officials, constitutional protection of savings, efficiency and impartiality of the administration, effective judicial protection. Declared inadmissible with judgement 248/2021.
  8. 02 May 2020, Tribunale di Brescia, order 106/2020. Relevant norms: articles 2, 3, 38 Const.; articles 20, 31, 34 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: non-discrimination, social security, fair working conditions. Declared inadmissible with judgement 196/2021.
  9. 02 July 2020, order n. 183/2020 by the Court of Cassation. Relevant norms: articles 3, 41, 45, 47, 53 Const.; articles 16 and 41 CFREU. Explicit reliance on judgment 269/2017 to justify the prior involvment of the ItCC. Rejected by the Constitutional Court (judgment 149/2021).
  10. 10 July 2020, Tribunale di Bergamo, order 180/2020. Relevant norms: 2, 3, 31, 38 Const.; articles 20, 21 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: non-discrimination, social security. Declared manifestly unfounded by the Constitutional Court, judgement 19/2022.
  11. 17 September 2020, Corte d'Appello di Milano, order 194/2020. Relevant norms: 2, 3, 32, 111 Const.; 35 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: health care, fair trial. The Constitutional Court referred the question to the Court of Justice (order 216/2021, EN translation). C-699/21, TBD.
  12. 06 October 2020, Tribunale di Trieste, order 38/2021. Relevant norms: 2, 3, 23, 42, 48, 51, 64, 68, 69, 97 Const.; 21 and 25 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: non-discrimination, legality in tax law, proportionality. Declared unfounded in judgement 182/2022.
  13. 27 October 2020, Corte d'Appello di Bologna, order 42/2021. Relevant norms: articles 2, 3, 27 Const.; article 7 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: rieducational function of criminal sanctions, respect for family life. The Constitutional Court referred the question to the Court of Justice (order 217/2017, EN translation). C-700/21, TBD.
  14. 06 November and 11 December 2020, orders 14 and 29/2021, Corte d'Appello di Lecce. Relevant norm: article 48 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: due process. The question was admitted and discussed, but declared unfounded by the ItCC (judgment 182/2021).
  15. 10 November 2020, Tribunale di Roma, order 88/2021. Relevant norms: articles 3, 27 Const.; article 48 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: presumption of innocence and right to defence. The Constitutional Court accepted the argument of the referring judge and voided the relevant legislation, judgement 152/2022.
  16. Order 29/2021, see Section 2, n. 14.
  17. 11 March 2021, Corte d'Appello di Salerno, order 205/2021. Relevant norms: articles 2, 3, 24, 29, 30, 111 Const., article 24 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: rights of the child. Declared inadmissible in judgement 177/2022.
  18. 26 March 2021, Collegio Arbitrale di Vicenza, order 102/2021. Relevant norms: articles 3, 24, 41, 111 Const.; 16 and 52 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: effective judicial protection, freedom to conduct a business. TBD.
  19. 26 April 2021, Council of State, order 123/2021. Relevant norms: 3 Const.; 49 CFREU. Fundamental right at issue: lex mitior. Declared unfounded (judgement 198/2022).
  20. 26 June 2021, Court of Cassation, order 137/2021. Relevant norms: 3, 10, 24, 111; articles 18, 19, 47 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: non-discrimination, effective judicial protection. Declared unfounded (judgement 13/2022).
  21. 20 July 2021, Tribunale di Firenze, order 179/2021. Relevant norms: 2, 3, 23, 24, 41, 42, 45, 47, 111 Const.; articles 17 and 47 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: property, effective judicial protection. Declared inadmissible (judgement 225/2022).
  22. 27 January 2022, Tribunale di Milano, order 11/2022. Relevant norms: 3, 27, 42, 111 Const.; 17, 48, 49 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: property, legality in criminal law. TBD.
  23. 28 April 2022, Tribunale di Padova, order 76/2022. Relevant norms: 3, 4, 32, 35 Const.; 52 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: health, right to work, proportionality of rights' limitations. TBD.
  24. 12 May 2022, Corte d'Appello di Salerno, order 130/2022. Relevant norms: 2, 3, 13 Const.; 7 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: personal identity, right to name. TBD.
  25. 31 May 2022, Corte d'Appello di Milano, order 100/2022. Relevant norms: 3 Const.; 21, 34 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: non-discrimination, social security. TBD.
  26. 27 June 2022, Giudice di pace di La Spezia, order 132/2022. Relevant norms: 3, 4, 16, 27, 34 Const.; 47 and 49 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: equality, freedom of movement, right to work and study, proportionality between crime and punishment. TBD.

 

Section 3

Decisions diverging from ItCC 269/2017

  1. 15 June 2018, Court of Cassation. Relevant norms: article 21 CFREU. Fundamental right at issue: non discrimination. Decided on 7 November 2019 (C‑396/18).
  2. 28 June 2018, Tribunale di Milano. Relevant norms: article 47 CFREU. Fundamental right at issue: effective judicial protection. Decided on 27 September 2019 ( C‑422/18 PPU).
  3. 16 July 2018, Council of State. Relevant norms: articles 15 and 16 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: right to work, freedom to conduct a business. Decided on 19 December 2019 (C‑465/18).
  4. 01 October 2018, Giudice di pace de L’Aquila: relevant norms: Articles 36, 97, 102, 106, 111 Const; Articles 31 and 47 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: fair wage for onorary judges. Decided with C-618/18, manifest inadmissibility declared on 17 December 2019. Questions the new doctrine, embracing the reading according to which constitutional courts cannot claim any monopoly of interpretation of fundamental rights if the latter are also protected by the CFREU, as it would harm the role of the CJEU. (see §71-72).
  5. 22 October 2018, Giudice di pace di Bologna: preliminary reference to the CJEU (case C-658/18 Ux, judgment released on 16 July 2020). Relevant norms: article 31(2) CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: fair wage for onorary judges.
  6. 29 October 2018, Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per la Sardegna. Relevant norms: article 21 CFREU. Fundamental right at issue: non discrimination. Decided on 02 April 2020 (C-670/18).
  7. 05 November 2018, Council of State. Relevant norms: articles 16 and 17 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: freedom to conduct a business, right to property. Decided on 16 July 2020 (C‑686/18).
  8. 15 November 2018, order by Tribunale amministrativo del Lazio: preliminary reference to the CJEU (case C-719/18 Vivendi, judgment released on 2 September 2020). Relevant norms: articles 21, 41 Const.: articles 11, 49 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: freedom of expression; media companies.
  9. 12 December 2018, Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il Lazio. Relevant norms: articles 15, 20, 21 and 31 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: equality before the law, non-discrimination, fair and just working conditions. Deemed inadmissible on 15 May 2019 (C‑789 and 790/18).
  10. 17 December 2018, Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il Lazio. Relevant norms: articles 16 and 17 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: freedom to conduct a business, right to property. Judgment released on 15 April 2021 (C‑798/18 and C‑799/18).
  11. 21 January 2019, Court of Cassation: preliminary reference to the CJEU and favourable answer in Luxembourg (Joined Cases C‑762/18 and C‑37/19). Relevant norms: Article 36 Const.; Article 31 CFREU. The Cassation bluntly denies the binding value of the request made by the ItCC with the decisions no. 269/2017, as that part is in a “obiter dictum” (see §47). Fundamental right(s) at issue: protection of workers.
  12. 19 February 2019, Court of Cassation. Relevant norms: articles 20 and 21 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: equality before the law, non-discrimination. Judgement issued on 16 July 2020 (C-129/19).
  13. 03 April 2019, Tribunale di Napoli. Relevant norms: article 21 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: non-discrimination on religious grounds. Answered in a favourable manner in Luxemburg (C-282/19).
  14. 15 April 2019, Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il Lazio. Relevant norms: articles 16, 17 CFREU. Decided in March 2022 (joint cases C‑306/19, C‑512/19, C‑595/19 and from C‑608/20 to C‑611/20).
  15. 29 May 2019, Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il Lazio. Relevant norms: article 54 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: abuse of rights. Erased from the register (C-419/19).
  16. 23 July 2019, Council of State. Relevant norms: articles 16 and 28 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: freedom to conduct a business, right to collective bargaining. Decided in October 2021 (C-561/19).
  17. 02 September 2019, Tribunale di Milano. Relevant norms: articles 20 and 30 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: equality before the law, protection in the event of unjustified dismissal. Judgment issued on 17 March 2021 (C-652/19).
  18. 13 September 2019, Tribunale di Milano. Relevant norms: article 47 CFRED. Fundamental right at issue: effective judicial protection. Decided on 17 May 2022 (C‑693/19).
  19. 18 September 2019, orders by the Corte d’Appello di Napoli (section I on labor law). Simultaneous reference to the Court of Justice (lodged on 22 January 2020) and to the ItCC, both deemed inadmissible (C-32/20 and judgment 254/2020). Relevant norms at issue: articles 3, 34, 38 Const.; 20, 21, 30, 34, and 47 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: equality and non-discrimination, protection of work and social security, effective judicial protection.
  20. 12  December 2019, Council of State. Relevant norms: article 21 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: non-discrimination. Judgment issued on 03 June 2021 (C-914/19).
  21. 14 January 2020, Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per la Puglia. Relevant norms: article 41 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: right to good administration. Deemed inadmissible (C-17/20).
  22. 18 May 2020, Giudice di pace di Lanciano. Quasi-simultaneous reference to both the ECJ and the ItCC (the former on 18 May, the latter lodged on 28 May 2020). Deemed manifesly inadmissible both at the ECJ (order 220/20) and in Rome (judgement 31/2022). Relevant norms at issue: articles 3, 4, 32, 36, 38, 76, 77, 97, 101, 102, 104, 106, 107, 108, 111, 120 Const.; articles 1, 6, 15, 20, 21, 30, 31, 34, 45 and 47 CFREU. Judgment 269/2017 explicitly recalled to justify the simultaneous reference. Fundamental right(s) at issue: non-discrimination, fair and just working conditions, social security, judicial independence, effective judicial protection.
  23. 04 June 2020, Tribunale amministrativo regionale per l’Emilia Romagna: preliminary reference to the CJEU. Relevant norms at issue: articles 20, 21, 31, 33, 34 and 47 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: fair wage for onorary judges. Decided in April 2022 (C-236/20).
  24. 30 September 2020, order 19598/2020 by the Court of Cassation (Combined Chambers). Preliminary reference to the Court of Justice (C-497/20). Explicit attempt to overcome the ItCC's case law on article 111(8) of the Constitution by referring to the Court of Justice. Relevant norms at issue: article 111 Const.; article 47 CFRUE. Fundamental right(s) at issue: right to effective judicial protection. Denied by the ECJ, which deferred to Italy's procedural autonomy.
  25. 10 March 2021, Court of Auditors (Region Campania). Relevant norms at issue: article 47 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: effective judicial protection. Deemed inadmissible (C-161/21).
  26. 11 april 2021, Court of Cassation. After a preliminary reference ex article 267 TFEU, the Court of Justice deemed the Italian legislation on third country nationals access to welfare allowances incompatible with Directive 2003/109/EC (C-302 and 303/19). The Cassation referred to the Constitutional Court, asking to remove the domestic legislation (order 111/21). The Constitutional Court deemed the EU provision directly effective and dismissed the request (inadmissible). Relevant norms at issue: articles 11 and 117 Const.; article 34 CFREU. Fundamental right(s) at issue: social security and social assistance.
  27. 21 April 2021, Council of State. Relevant norms at issue: article 47 CFREU. Fundamental right at issue: effective judicial protection. Decided on 07 July 2022 (C-261/21).
  28. 12 May 2021, Council of State. Relevant norms at issue: article 21 CFREU. Fundamental right at issue: non discrimination. Decided on 17 November 2022 (C‑304/21).
  29. 26 May 2021, Tribunale di Rieti. Relevant norms at issue: articles 7, 8, 11, 52 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: private life, personal data, effective judicial protection. Erased from register (C-334/21).
  30. 20 July 2021, Tribunale di Vercelli. Relevant norms at issue: articles 14, 20, 21 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: right to education, equality before the law, non discrimination. Decided on 18 May 2022 (C‑450/21).
  31. 16 September 2021, Council of State. Relevant norm at issue: article 21 CFREU. Fundamental rights at issue: non discrimination. Decided on 17 November 2022 (C-569/21).
  32. 06 April 2022, Giudice di pace di Lecce. Relevant norm at issue: article 49 CFREU. Fundamental right at issue: legality in criminal law. Decided on 09 November 2022 (C‑243/22).