CELEX: 62010CO0496
Language: en
Date: 2012-01-19 00:00:00
Title: Order of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 19 January 2012. # Criminal proceedings against Aldo Patriciello. # Reference for a preliminary ruling: Giudice di Pace di Venafro - Italy. # Article 104(3), first subparagraph of the Rules of Procedure - Member of the European Parliament - Protocol on Privileges and Immunities - Article 8 - Criminal proceedings for the offence of insulting behaviour - Statements made outside the precincts of the European Parliament - Definition of expression of an opinion in the performance of parliamentary duties - Immunity - Conditions. # Case C-496/10.

Order of the Court (Sixth Chamber) of 19 January 2012 — Criminal proceedings against Patriciello
      (Case C‑496/10)
      Article 104(3), first subparagraph, of the Rules of Procedure — Member of the European Parliament — Protocol on Privileges and Immunities — Article 8 — Criminal proceedings for the offence of insulting behaviour — Statements made outside the precincts of the European Parliament — Definition of expression of an opinion in the performance of parliamentary duties — Immunity — Conditions
      Privileges and immunities of the European Union — Members of the European Parliament — Immunity in respect of opinions expressed and votes cast in the performance of their duties — Definition of expression of an opinion in the performance of duties — Application in connection with legal proceedings against a member of the Parliament — Jurisdiction of the national court before which the case was brought (Protocol on Privileges and Immunities of the European
         Union, Art. 8) (see paras 15-17, 19, operative part)
      
      Re:
      
         
               Reference for a preliminary ruling — Ufficio del Giudice di Pace di Venafro — Interpretation of Articles 9 and 10 of the Protocol
                  on the Privileges and Immunities of the European Communities (JO 1967 L 152, p. 13) — Member of the European Parliament charged
                  with the offence of insulting behaviour in consequence of his making false accusations against a representative of the forces
                  of order — Definition of expression of an opinion in the performance of parliamentary duties.
               
            Operative part
      On a proper construction of Article 8 of the Protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Union, annexed to the
         EU, FEU and EAEC Treaties, a statement made by a Member of the European Parliament beyond the precincts of that institution
         and giving rise to prosecution in his Member State of origin for the offence of insulting behaviour, does not constitute an
         opinion expressed in the performance of his parliamentary duties covered by the immunity afforded by that provision unless
         that statement amounts to a subjective appraisal having a direct, obvious connection with the performance of those duties.
         It is for the court making the reference to determine whether those conditions have been satisfied in the case in the main
         proceedings.