The Preliminary Ruling Procedure and the United Kingdom

The agenda I propose for tonight's talk is both more specific and limited. I intend to look at the preliminary ruling procedure under Article 177 of the EC Treaty and how it is used by the legal community in the United Kingdom. In so doing, I shall draw comparisons to the practice in other major Member States in the Community. My views are of course based on the experience I have gained in my function as a member of the Court in Luxembourg.

I would, therefore, be very much interested to learn whether they are shared by the legal community of the United Kingdom, particularly in view of the fact that some of its most eminent members are present tonight.