Judgment of the Court of 15 July 1964.

Flaminio Costa v E.N.E.L.

Reference for a preliminary ruling: Giudice conciliatore di Milano - Italy.

Case 6-64.


Top of the page Documents in the Case
Document Date Name of the parties Subject-matter Curia EUR-Lex Autres Liens
Judgment (Summary)
ECLI:EU:C:1964:66
15/07/1964 Costa v E.N.E.L.
Judgment
ECLI:EU:C:1964:66
15/07/1964 Costa v E.N.E.L.
Order
ECLI:EU:C:1964:34
03/06/1964 Costa v E.N.E.L.
Opinion
ECLI:EU:C:1964:51
25/06/1964 Costa v E.N.E.L.
Top of the page Legal analysis of the decision or of the case

Reports of Cases

1964 01141

Dutch 1964/01203 German 1964/01253 Italian 1964/01129 English 1964/00585 Danish 1954-1964/00531 Greek 1954-1964/01191 Portuguese 1962-1964/00549 Spanish 1964-1966/00099 Swedish I/00211 Finnish I/00211

Subject-matter

Information not available

Systematic classification scheme

1.
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-19 Legal proceedings
    B-19.04 Reference for a preliminary ruling
      B-19.04.02 Jurisdiction of the Court of Justice
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-19 Legal proceedings
    B-19.04 Reference for a preliminary ruling
      B-19.04.00 General
A The Community legal order
  A-03 Community law and national law
    A-03.00 General
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-18 Institutions and bodies of the Community
    B-18.03 Commission
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-19 Legal proceedings
    B-19.04 Reference for a preliminary ruling
      B-19.04.00 General
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-11 Approximation of laws
    B-11.00 General
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-09 State aid
    B-09.04 Procedure for reviewing aid
      B-09.04.00 General
A The Community legal order
  A-03 Community law and national law
    A-03.01 Direct effect, primacy and uniform application of the Community law
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-04 Free movement of persons and services
    B-04.03 Freedom of establishment
      B-04.03.00 General
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-04 Free movement of persons and services
    B-04.03 Freedom of establishment
      B-04.03.00 General
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-02 Free movement of goods
    B-02.03 State monopolies of a commercial character
      B-02.03.00 General
B European Community (EEC/EC)
  B-02 Free movement of goods
    B-02.03 State monopolies of a commercial character
      B-02.03.00 General


Citations of case-law or legislation

References in grounds of judgment

Operative part

Opinion

Information not available


Dates

Date of the lodging of the application initiating proceedings

  • 20/02/1964

Date of the Opinion

  • 25/06/1964

Date of the hearing

Information not available

Date of delivery

15/07/1964


References

Publication in the Official Journal

Application: OJ 44 from 13.03.1964, p.709

Judgment: OJ 1 2 from 12.11.1964, p.2900

Name of the parties

Costa v E.N.E.L.

Notes on Academic Writings

  1. Suetens, L.P.: Rechtskundig weekblad 1963-64 Col.734-740 (NL)
  2. Sk.: Common Market Law Review 1964 p.213-220 (EN)
  3. Samkalden, I.: S.E.W. ; Sociaal-economische wetgeving 1964 p.489-496 (NL)
  4. Ribolzi, Cesare: La nazionalizzazione dell'energia elettrica in Italia e la Comunità economica europea, Il Foro padano 1964 V Col.25-34 (IT)
  5. H.G.S.: Ars aequi 1964 p.157-160 (NL)
  6. Frowein, Jochen: Zum Verhältnis zwischen dem EWG-Recht und nationalem Recht aus der Sicht des Gerichtshofes der Europäischen Gemeinschaften, Außenwirtschaftsdienst des Betriebs-Beraters / Recht der Internationalen Wirtschaft 1964 p.233-238 (DE)
  7. Gori, Paolo: La preminenza del diritto della Comunità europea sul diritto interno degli Stati membri, Giurisprudenza italiana 1964 I Sez.I Col.1073-1086 (IT)
  8. Ehle, Dietrich: Verhältnis des europäischen Gemeinschaftsrechts zum nationalen Recht, Neue juristische Wochenschrift 1964 p.2331-2333 (DE)
  9. Catalano, Nicola: Portata dei Trattati istitutivi delle Comunità europee e limiti dei poteri sovrani degli Stati membri, Il Foro italiano 1964 IV Col.152-159 (IT)
  10. Catalano, Nicola: Portée des traités instituant les Communautés européennes et limites des pouvoirs souverains des Etats membres, Le droit et les affaires 1964 nº 49 doc.LXXXVI (FR)
  11. Berri, Mario: Sulla priorità del diritto comunitario, Giustizia civile 1964 I p.1894-1898 (IT)
  12. C.G.: Intervento del terzo nelle controversie avanti la Corte di giustizia delle Comunità europee a titolo pregiudiziale, Rivista di diritto internazionale privato e processuale 1965 p.108-109 (IT)
  13. Stein, Eric: Toward Supremacy of Treaty-Constitution by Judicial Fiat: On the Margin of the Costa Case, Michigan Law Review 1965 p.491-518 (EN)
  14. Sasse, Christoph: The Common Market: Between International and Municipal Law, Yale Law Journal 1965-66 nº 5 p.695-753 (EN)
  15. Kovar, Robert: Journal du droit international 1965 p.697-717 (FR)
  16. Virole, Jean: Questions posées par l'interprétation du traité du 25 mars 1957 instituant la Communauté Economique Européenne à propos de la nationalisation de l'électricité en Italie, Revue trimestrielle de droit européen 1965 p.369-398 (FR)
  17. Ostroff, Nathan: Texas International Law Forum 1965 nº 2 p.121-145 (EN)
  18. Scarangella, Giovanni: Comunità europee. Ordine costituzionale e norma comunitaria, Jus Gentium 1966 p.280-285 (IT)
  19. Großfeld, Bernhard: Recht der Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und nationales Recht - EuGHE X, 1251, Juristische Schulung 1966 p.347-354 (DE)
  20. Miaja de la Muela, Adolfo: La primacía sobre los ordenamientos juridicos internos del Derecho Internacional y Derecho Comunitario europeo, Revista de instituciones europeas 1974, p. 987-1029 (ES)
  21. De Witte, Bruno: Retour à "Costa". La primauté du droit communautaire à la lumière du droit international, Revue trimestrielle de droit européen 1984 p.425-454 (FR)
  22. X: Boletim do Ministério da Justiça 1986 nº 25-26 p.298-299 (PT)
  23. Samkalden, I.: Annotaties Hof van Justitie EG (Ed. W.E.J. Tjeenk Willink - Zwolle) 1995 p.9-16 (NL)
  24. Fritz, Maria: Domar från EG-domstolen, Ny Juridik 1996 nº 2 p.127-129 (SV)
  25. Diekmann, Thomas J. ; Schulenburg, Margret: Europarecht als vorrangiger Prüfungsmaßstab im einstweiligen Rechtsschutzverfahren, Neue Zeitschrift für Sozialrecht 2003 p.518-520 (DE)
  26. Булюи, Жан ; Шевалие, Роже-Мишел: Примат - особености - последици, Най-важни решения на Cьда на Eвропейските общности (Ed. Институт по Европейско право - Sofia) 2007 р.110-113 (BG)
  27. Banu, Mihai: Lucrǎtori. Liberǎ circulație. Derogare. Atingere adusǎ ordinii publice naționale. Conduitǎ personalǎ. Afiliere la un grup ce nu e interzis, Revista română de drept al afacerilor 2008 nº 08 p.130-148 (RO)
  28. Barents, R.: Kleine dingen en grote gevolgen, Het recht van de Europese Unie in 50 klassieke arresten (Ed. Boom Juridische Uitgevers - Den Haag) 2010 p.22-28 (NL)
  29. Fennelly, Nial: The European Court of Justice and the Doctrine of Supremacy: Van Gend en Loos; Costa v ENEL; Simmenthal, The past and future of EU law: the classics of EU law revisited on the 50th anniversary of the Rome Treaty (Hart Publishing, Oxford) 2010, p. 39-46 (EN)
  30. Pernice, Ingolf: Costa v ENEL and Simmenthal: Primacy of European Law, The past and future of EU law: the classics of EU law revisited on the 50th anniversary of the Rome Treaty (Hart Publishing, Oxford) 2010, p. 47-59 (EN)
  31. Hofmann, Herwig C.H.: Conflicts and Integration: Revisiting Costa v ENEL and Simmenthal II, The past and future of EU law: the classics of EU law revisited on the 50th anniversary of the Rome Treaty (Hart Publishing, Oxford) 2010, p. 60-68 (EN)
  32. Rasmussen, Morten: From Costa v ENEL to the Treaties of Rome: A Brief History of a Legal Revolution, The past and future of EU law: the classics of EU law revisited on the 50th anniversary of the Rome Treaty (Hart Publishing, Oxford) 2010, p. 69-86 (EN)
  33. Sap, Jan Willem ; Smit, Marije: Ars Aequi Jurisprudentie Europeese Recht (3e druk) 2015 p.12 (NL)
  34. Ruiz-Miguel, Carlos: Les droits fondamentaux au carrefour de la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme et de la Cour de justice de l'Union européenne, Cahiers de la recherche sur les droits fondamentaux 2015 n° 13 p.121-135 (FR)
  35. Blanc, Didier: L'arrêt "Costa" appréhendé par la doctrine communautaire contemporaine, Revue du droit de l'Union européenne 2017 nº 1 p.121-137 (FR)
  36. Kaufmann, Sven: Le Bundesverfassungsgericht et les limites à la primauté du droit de l'Union. Confrontation ou complémentarité dans l'intégration européenne ?, Revue trimestrielle de droit européen 2017 p.59-73 (FR)
  37. Svobodová, Magdaléna: Přímý účinek vnějších smluv v konfrontaci s přímým účinkem směrnic EU z pohledu jednotlivce, Právník: teoreticky casopis pro otázky státu a práva 2018 nº 2 p.115-130 (CS)
  38. Arena, Amedeo: From an unpaid electricity bill to the primacy of EU law : Gian Galeazzo Stendardi and the making of Costa v. ENEL : C-6/64, European Journal of International Law / Journal européen de droit international 2019 p. 1017-1037 (EN)
  39. Arena, Amedeo: Von einer unbezahlten Stromrechnung zum Vorrang des Europarechts: die Hintergründe des Falls Costa gegen ENEL, Europarecht 2021 p. 527-551 (DE)
  40. Arena, Amedeo: Ainsi naquit la primauté du droit communautaire : aux origines de l'affaire Costa c/ ENEL, Revue trimestrielle de droit européen 2021 n° 3 p. 589-612 (FR)
  41. Arena, Amedeo: A befizetetlen villanyszámlától az uniós jog elsődlegességéig : a Costa v ENEL döntés : C-6/64, Európai jog 2021 3. szám p. 21-31 (HU)
  42. Arena, Amedeo: De una factura de electricidad impagada a la primacía del derecho europeo: así nació la jurisprudencia Costa/Enel, Revista de Derecho Comunitario Europeo 2021 nº 70 p. 897-931 (ES)
  43. Blanquet, Marc: 55. Affirmation du principe de primauté. CJCE, 15 juill. 1964, n° 6/64, Costa c/ ENEL, Les grands arrêts de la Cour de justice de l'Union européenne. Droit constitutionnel et institutionnel de l'Union européenne (Dalloz, 2e édition) 2023, p. 892-906 (FR)



Procedural Analysis Information

Source of the question referred for a preliminary ruling

Giudice conciliatore di Milano - Italy

Subject-matter

  • Free movement of goods
  • - Quantitative restrictions
  • - State monopolies of a commercial character
  • Freedom of establishment
  • Competition
  • - State aid
  • Approximation of laws

Provisions of national law referred to

legge 06/12/1962 n° 1643 decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 15/12/1962 n° 1670 decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 04/02/1963 n° 36 decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 25/02/1963 n° 138 decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 14/03/1963 n° 219

Provisions of international law referred to

Information not available

Procedure and result

  • Reference for a preliminary ruling

Formation of the Court

Information not available

Judge-Rapporteur

Lecourt

Advocate General

Lagrange

Language(s) of the Case

  • Italian

Language(s) of the Opinion

  • French