Order — ECLI:EU:C:2012:465
Date: 2012-07-12
Language of the case: Italian
Court formation: Third Chamber
Subject matter: Principles, objectives and tasks of the Treaties;Fundamental rights
Procedure: Reference for a preliminary ruling - inadmissible
Origin: Italy

Summary of the Order 1. Preliminary rulings — Jurisdiction of the Court — Limits — Powers conferred on the European Union — Question referred in the context of a dispute relating to the application of international law outside the framework of EU law — Not included (Art. 5(2) TEU; Art. 267 TFEU) 2. Preliminary rulings — Jurisdiction of the Court — Limits — Request for interpretation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union — Subject matter of the national proceedings not having any link with EU law — Lack of jurisdiction of the Court (Art. 267 TFEU; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 51(1)) 1. In the context of a reference for a preliminary ruling pursuant to Article 267 TFEU, the Court can interpret EU law only within the limits of the powers conferred on it. More particularly, the Court has no jurisdiction under Article 267 TFEU to give a ruling on the interpretation of provisions of international law which bind Member States outside the framework of EU law. Admittedly, the European Union must respect international law in the exercise of its powers. Thus, the Court must apply international law and may be required to interpret certain rules falling within the scope of that law, but solely within the context of the competence which has been conferred on the European Union by the Member States (see paras 15, 18) 2. See the text of the decision. (see paras 25, 26)