Judgment of the Court (Second Chamber) of 6 October 2022 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Riigikohus – Estonia) – I.L. v Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet

(Case C-241/21) ¹

(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Directive 2008/115/EC – Return of illegally staying third-country nationals – Article 15(1) – Detention – Grounds for detention – General criterion based on the risk that the effective enforcement of the removal would be compromised – Risk that the person concerned would commit a criminal offence – Consequences of the establishment of the offence and the imposition of a penalty – Complication of the removal process – Article 6 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union – Restriction of the fundamental right to liberty – Requirement of a legal basis – Requirements of clarity, predictability and accessibility – Protection against arbitrariness)

Language of the case: Estonian

Referring court

Riigikohus

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: I.L.

Defendant: Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet

Operative part of the judgment

Article 15(1) of Directive 2008/115/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals;

must be interpreted as not permitting a Member State to order the detention of an illegally staying third-country national solely on the basis of a general criterion based on the risk that the effective enforcement of the removal would be compromised, without satisfying one of the specific grounds for detention provided for and clearly defined by the legislation implementing that provision in national law.

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¹ OJ C 242, 21.6.2021.