The potency of the law in fostering the process of gradual European integration is easily discernable and widely acknowledged. It is largely and conspicuously revealed by the litigation before the courts of, both, the European Union and its Member States.

The concern faithfully to give the European treaty the authentic meaning and scope as intended by its authors permeates the European courts’ judgments, and the constant theme of the entitlement of those vested with rights conferred by the law of the European Union to effective judicial protection is omnipresent in their decisions.

The law of European integration has been uncharted territory. The novelty of various issues which have arisen and on which the courts have had to pronounce springs from the originality of the integration venture and is commensurate with its uniqueness, distinctive nature and specific exigencies.

The writings here assembled allow to trace the starting point since the inceptive formative years of the growth of a legal doctrine and an evolving jurisprudential edifice in several areas, to appraise their direction and constancy and to assay adjustments and adaptations.