Reports of Cases

2007 I-05305

Subject-matter

Reference for a preliminary ruling – Cour d'arbitrage – Validity of Article 1(2) of Directive 2001/97/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 December 2001 amending Council Directive 91/308/EEC on prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering (OJ 2001 L 344, p.76) -- Right to a fair trial as guaranteed by Article 6 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and Article 6(2) of the Treaty on European Union – Principles of professional secrecy and the independence of avocats – Obligation on avocats to inform the authorities responsible for the fight against money laundering of any fact which might be an indication of such laundering

Systematic classification scheme

Citations of case-law or legislation

References in grounds of judgment

• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 234 : paragraph 18
• EU Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 6 -P2 : paragraphs 16, 17, 26, 29, 37
• Directive 91/308 : paragraphs 17, 19, 21, 24
• Directive 91/308 -A02BISPT5 : paragraphs 1, 6, 16, 22, 26, 33, 34, 36, 37
• Directive 91/308 -A06 : paragraph 7
• Directive 91/308 -A06P1 : paragraphs 20, 22, 26, 35 - 37
• Directive 91/308 -A06P3 : paragraph 26
• Directive 91/308 -A06P3L2 : paragraphs 23, 25, 27, 34 - 37
• Directive 91/308 -C3 : paragraph 4
• Directive 2001/97 : paragraphs 1, 24
• Directive 2001/97 -A01PT2 : paragraph 16
• Directive 2001/97 -A01PT5 : paragraph 16
• Directive 2001/97 -C1 : paragraph 5
• Directive 2001/97 -C14 : paragraph 5
• Directive 2001/97 -C15 : paragraph 5
• Directive 2001/97 -C16 : paragraph 5
• Directive 2001/97 -C17 : paragraph 5
• Directive 2001/97 -C20 : paragraph 5
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -29/69 : paragraph 29
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -218/82 : paragraph 28
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -135/93 : paragraph 28
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -274/99 : paragraph 29
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -101/01 : paragraph 28
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -448/01 : paragraph 18
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -145/03 : paragraph 18

Operative part

• Interprets : Directive 91/308 -A02BISPT5
• Interprets : Directive 91/308 -A06P1
• Interprets : Directive 91/308 -A06P3

Opinion

• EC Treaty (Maastricht), Article 177 : point 30
  
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 230 : point 31
  
• EC Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 234 : point 30
  
• EU Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 6 : point 27
  
• EU Treaty (Amsterdam), Article 6 -P2 : points 25, 26, 35, 48
  
• Directive 91/308 : points 1, 6, 25, 77
  
• Directive 91/308 -A01 : point 9
  
• Directive 91/308 -A02BIS : points 17, 18, 25
  
• Directive 91/308 -A02BISPT5 : points 64, 73, 83
  
• Directive 91/308 -A02BISPT5LA : point 67
  
• Directive 91/308 -A02BISPT5LB : point 67
  
• Directive 91/308 -A06 : points 7, 10, 17, 19, 25, 73, 83
  
• Directive 91/308 -A06P3L2 : points 57, 63
  
• Directive 91/308 -A08 : point 82
  
• Directive 91/308 -A12 : point 9
  
• Directive 91/308 -A13 : point 9
  
• Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU (2000) -A41 : point 1
  
• Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU (2000) -A47 : point 44
  
• Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU (2000) -A52P1 : point 49
  
• Directive 2001/97 : points 1, 7
  
• Directive 2001/97 -A01 : point 25
  
• Directive 2001/97 -C17 : point 83
  
• Directive 2005/60 : point 21
  
• Directive 2005/60 -A02 : point 21
  
• Directive 2005/60 -A23P2 : point 21
  
• Directive 2005/60 -C5 : point 5
  
• Council - Common Position - 52001AG0005 : point 13
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -73/63 : point 32
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -41/72 : point 32
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -33/74 : point 55
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -103/77 : point 32
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -155/79 : points 47, 60
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -155/79 : points 2, 39, 43, 44, 60
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -50/82 : point 31
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -218/82 : point 63
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -62/90 : point 41
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -135/93 : point 63
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -162/96 : point 30
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -290/98 : point 6
  
• Court of Justice - Opinion C -309/99 : points 39, 54, 55, 70
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -309/99 : point 2
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -112/00 : point 40
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -540/03 : point 48
  
• Court of Justice - Judgment C -301/04 : point 42
  

Dates

Date of the lodging of the application initiating proceedings

• 29/07/2005

Date of the Opinion

• 14/12/2006

Date of the hearing

Information not available

Date of delivery

26/06/2007

References

Publication in the Official Journal

Application: OJ C 243 from 01.10.2005, p.10

Judgment: OJ C 199 from 25.08.2007, p.6

Name of the parties

Ordre des barreaux francophones and germanophone and Others

Notes on Academic Writings

1. Normand-Bodard, Xavier: Anti-blanchiment: l'obligation de dénonciation à l'épreuve de la CJCE, Petites affiches. La Loi / Le Quotidien juridique 2006 nº 203 p.5-6 (FR)
2. Vatier, Bernard: L'inclusion des avocats dans la directive blanchiment (À propos de l'arrêt de la CJCE du 26 juin 2007), Gazette du Palais 2007 nº 187-188 p.4-7 (FR)
3. Cachard, Olivier: Précisions sur les activités donnant lieu à déclaration de soupçons par les avocats, La Semaine Juridique - édition générale 2007 II 10137 p.33-34 (FR)
4. Michalke, Regina: Europäische Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsrecht 2007 p.475-476 (DE)
5. Simon, Denys: Lutte contre le blanchiment et secret professionnel des avocats, Europe 2007 Août-Septembre Comm. nº 201 p.12-14 (FR)
6. Mok, M.R.: Nederlandse jurisprudentie ; Uitspraken in burgerlijke en strafzaken 2007 nº 476 (NL)
7. Cassese, Elisabetta: Disciplina antiriciclaggio e deontologia professionale: quali doveri per gli avvocati?, Giornale di diritto amministrativo 2007 p.1046-1050 (IT)
8. Broussy, Emmanuelle ; Donnat, Francis ; Lambert, Christian: Chronique de jurisprudence communautaire. Droits fondamentaux, L'actualité juridique ; droit administratif 2007 p.2248-2249 (FR)
9. Stouten, M.: Meldplicht witwaspraktijken niet in strijd met artikel 6 EVRM, Nederlands juristenblad 2007 p.2432-2437 (NL)
10. Drijber, B.J.: De verplichting van advocaten om verdachte transacties te melden maakt geen inbreuk op het fundamentele recht op een eerlijk proces, Ondernemingsrecht 2007 p.545-546 (NL)
11. Stouten, M.: Administratiefrechtelijke beslissingen ; Rechtspraak bestuursrecht 2007 nº 369 (NL)
12. Pecho, Peter ; Michel, Franck: Arrêt de la Cour de justice des Communautés européennes du 26 juin 2007: "Ordre des barreaux francophones et germanophones" e.a., Revue du droit de l'Union européenne 2007 nº 4 p.907-928 (FR)
13. Adobati, Enrica: Secondo la Corte di giustizia è legittima l'imposizione agli avvocati degli obblighi di comunicare le informazioni alle autorità responsabili della lotta contro il riciclaggio, Diritto comunitario e degli scambi internazionali 2007 p.753-754 (IT)
14. Baldassarre, Antonio: Disciplina antiriciclaggio e professioni forensi: l'obbligo di segnalazione delle operazioni sospette non viola il diritto ad un equo processo, Diritto del commercio internazionale 2007 p.916-932 (IT)
15. Tsadiras, Alexandros: Elliniki Epitheorisi Evropaïkou Dikaiou 2007 p.610-613 (EL)
16. De Amicis, Gaetano: "Legittimità comunitaria" del mandato d'arresto europeo e principio di legalità penale: la nuova procedura di consegna tra gli Stati membri dell'UE al vaglio della Corte di giustizia, Diritto e Politiche dell'Unione Europea 2007 p.189-200 (IT)
17. Vaquero Pinto, María José: Secreto profesional del abogado y prevención de la utilización del sistema financiero para el blanqueo de capitales. A propósito de la STJCE Luxemburgo de 26 de junio de 2007 (asunto C-305/05), Revista General de Derecho Europeo 2007, nº 14, p. 1-17 (ES)
18. Komárek, Jan: Legal Professional Privilege and the EU's Fight against Money Laundering, Civil Justice Quarterly 2008 Vo.27 Issue 1 p.13-22 (EN)
19. De Amicis, Gaetano ; Villoni, Orlando: Mandato d'arresto europeo e legalità penale nell'interpretazione della Corte di giustizia, Cassazione penale 2008 p.383-405 (IT)
20. Balsamo, Antonio: La collaborazione attiva dei professionisti per la lotta al riciclaggio: punti fermi e problemi aperti dopo l'intervento della Corte di giustizia europea, Cassazione penale 2008 p.804-811 (IT)
21. Rübenstahl, Markus ; Täufer, Maike: Die Geldwäscheverdachtsmeldepflicht für Rechtsanwälte nach der 2. Geldwäscherichtlinie verstösst - mangels Verfahren - nicht gegen das Recht auf ein faires Verfahren (Art. 6 II EU i.V.m. Art. 6 I EMRK), European Law Reporter 2008 p.97-103 (DE)
22. Długosz, Joanna: Obowiązki prawników wykonujących wolne zawody w zakresie przeciwdziałania praniu pieniędzy. Komentarz do wyroku ETS z 26 czerwca 2007 r. (sygn. C-305/05) i do wyroku TK z 2 lipca 2007 r. (sygn. K 41/05), Radca Prawny 2008 Vol. 3 p.39-44 (PL)
23. Chiriţă, Oana: Obligaţia de informare - un pas spre renunţarea la sensul tradiţional al profesiei de avocat?, Noua Revistă de Drepturile Omului 2008 nº 1 p.23-29 (RO)
24. Luchtman, Michiel J.J.P. ; Van der Hoeven, Rob: Common Market Law Review 2009 p.301-318 (EN)
25. Herreros Bastero, Javier: Reflexiones de un Abogado frente al blanqueo de capitales. (STJCE de 26 de junio de 2007), Noticias de la Unión Europea 2009 nº 297 p.35-46 (ES)
26. Schmauch, Magnus: Dom från Strasbourg: Advokaters rapporteringsskyldighet vid misstänkt penningtvätt – vidare begränsning av Bosphorus-presumtionen, Europarättslig tidskrift 2013 Nr 1 p.98-110 (SV)

Procedural Analysis Information

Source of the question referred for a preliminary ruling

Cour d'arbitrage - Belgium

Subject-matter

• Freedom of establishment
  
• Approximation of laws
  
• Free movement of capital
  
• Fundamental rights
  
• - European Convention on Human Rights
  

Provisions of national law referred to

Information not available

Provisions of international law referred to

Information not available

Procedure and result

• Reference for a preliminary ruling
  

Formation of the Court

grande chambre (Cour)

Judge-Rapporteur

Juhász

Advocate General

Poiares Maduro

Language(s) of the Case

• French
  

Language(s) of the Opinion

• Portuguese