Opinion of the Advocate General — ECLI:EU:C:2005:576
Date: 2005-09-22
Language of the case: Hungarian
Based on: Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (1957)
Subject matter: Approximation of laws
Procedure: Reference for a preliminary ruling - inadmissible
Origin: Hungary

Summary of the Judgment Preliminary rulings – Jurisdiction of the Court – Limits (Art. 234 EC) The Court has jurisdiction to interpret a Community directive only as regards its application in a new Member State with effect from the date of that State’s accession to the European Union. The Court does not therefore have jurisdiction to answer the questions referred for a preliminary ruling by a Hungarian court concerning the interpretation of Article 6(1) of Directive 93/13 on unfair terms in consumer contracts where the facts of the dispute in the main proceedings occurred prior to the accession of the Republic of Hungary to the European Union. (see paras 36-38)