Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE HIGHEST COURT court in the European Union has affirmed that it “alone has jurisdiction” to decide whether an EU institution has acted contrary to European law.
Released by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) this afternoon, the statement is a clear reaction to Germany’s highest national court, which handed down a controversial ruling this week relating to the European Central Bank’s flagship bond-buying programme.
Contradicting an earlier ECJ ruling from 2018, the German Federal Constitutional Court found on Wednesday that the ECB had failed to appropriately justify its €2 trillion ‘quantitative easing’ scheme, which began in 2015.
Unless the ECB can demonstrate within three months that the scheme is “not disproportionate” to its stated aim of creating price stability in the bloc, Germany’s own central bank could be required to withdraw from it.
This afternoon, the ECJ released a statement noting that it had “received many enquiries concerning the judgment delivered by the German Constitutional Court”.
Although it said in the statement that the ECJ would “never comment on a judgment of a national court,” it gives a clear warning about the implications of the German court’s decision.
“In order to ensure that EU law is applied uniformly”, the ECJ said, “the Court of Justice alone – which was created for that purpose by the member states – has jurisdiction to rule that an act of an EU institution is contrary to EU law.”
The ECJ advised that “divergences between courts of the member states as to the validity of such acts would indeed be liable to place in jeopardy the unity of the EU legal order and to detract from legal certainty”.
The German court’s ruling relates to the ECB’s ‘Public Sector Purchasing Plan’, initiated in 2015 to combat the lingering threat of deflation from the last eurozone recession.
Wednesday’s decision was a partial victory for the campaigners — including Bernd Lucke, the former leader of Germany’s right-wing Alternative für Deutschland party — who originally took the case, alleging that the ECB programme breached EU treaties.
In 2018, the ECJ threw out their complaint but the German Constitutional Court this week rejected its interpretation as “indefensible” and “arbitrary”.
The campaigners could now launch a similar challenge to the ECB’s latest bond-buying scheme, the Pandemic Emergency Purchasing Programme, which kicked off in March.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The government announcing a ban on handshakes in public is THE most 2020 headline of 2020 so far
@Jake Kelly: Not a mention of the 5G masts,.
@Martin Scaldbag: lol you’re not allowed to shake them either!
@Martin Scaldbag: its a covid19 article. Why would they talk about 5G?
@Martin Scaldbag: Will they add avoid bring large communication masts into your workplace
Joe McHugh borrowed a pen in his press conference yesterday from another member of staff.
@Rory Upton: did you notice the difficulties he had reading the prepared announcement? Doesn’t inspire much confidence does it. Only surprised he didn’t use his finger to point to and follow the words. It’s a crayon he should have been handed.
@alan: is he allowed hold crayons on his own! they’re all in the same boat, Pascal, Simon, Eoghan, I’m only picking on FG as they’re ministers, but most TDs are gombeen men who’ve as much ability and charisma as a choc ice. Joe and those listed above are especially awkward and clumsy to watch, its painful.
@ThatLJD: whoah there Skippy. What’s all this bad mouthing of Choc Ices??
@Terry Walks: I second that! Such elitist notions!
@Fiona Fitzgerald: he obviously prefers Brunch which is allowed. As long as he’s not getting above his station with a chocolate Magnum!
@Sean: Fair enough, each to their own!
@Rory Upton: that’s because he’s too miserable to buy one!
Clearly none of theses law makers have ever worked in a fast paced retail environment. Some real Clueless stuff in these guide lines
@Sean D: at this rate I’d settle for them having ever worked, never mind fasted paced.
Banned!! Discouraged would be a less confrontational word to use
@Roddie Cleere: Sending lots of hope for you x
@Roddie Cleere: banned means what it says ….discouraged in ireland means doing it anyway
@Roddie Cleere: yeah but people are thick
There’s always one “hugger” who hopes it doesn’t apply to him.
@Roddie Cleere: in the same way at the start they tried to discourage non-essential travel and tried to encourage people to stay away from tourist hot spots, beaches, greenway walks, etc, etc.. How did that encouragement pan out ?
What a joke.
It’s all well and good putting the onus on employers but how are the government going to ensure employees can actually get to work?
Trains and buses etc can only operate at around 25% capacity if a 2 metres social distance rule has to be adhered to.
Its a pity these measures were not given to nursing homes and meat plants, Sometimes you have wonder at want is really going on.
@conriel: it’s what happens when psychopaths are making the decisions.
@conriel: what is really going in is MASS DELUSION
Seems everyone on social welfare will be employed by HSE as scouts checking out all is good with work place practices. So are they saying dishwasher in work place canteens are not suitable cleaning utilities. Once all retailers cafes restaurants bars open in August this social distance stuff will go out the window. They do realise shops are on top of each other in cities
@Anthony Whelan: if dishwashers are not suitable cleaning utilities in work places what will happen in cafes, bars and restaurants?
@Marg FitzGerald: disposable cups I imagine
@Marg FitzGerald: we have flipped from wanting to ban disposable cups to protect the environment to banning reusable cups because of the virus – in Wuhan car sales sales have rocketed after they reopened as people want to avoid using public transport and feel safer in cars – we are using the pandemic to reduce cars in the city and rail road the pedestrian plaza that they have been faffing about with for 10 years and claim this is somehow revolutionary city administration – Germany used the lockdown and reduced congestion as an opportunity to complete city centre road works and improvements in faster time – we spend our time deploying thousands to stop the tiny % of people who own holiday homes from visiting villages and towns that had nothing open anyway as if this was some major campaign of achievement for the country. We have a long way to go to improve our governance and administration and seem more comfortable moaning and whinging about seeing ‘people out and about ‘breaking rules than calling for smarter ways to run the country.
@Dave Hammond: People using the virus to push their own agendas is one of the sickest things to do during this emergency.
A man is always judged by his handshake, not anymore it would seem
@Patrick: 100%. I do it almost instinctively when I’m engaging with someone for the first time in a formal situation. I’ll have to be extra vigilant so, cause it’s BANNED! Very bold, don’t do that…
@Stephen Foster: Don’t worry, no one will be offering their hand.
We do need a replacement though…
@Cynical: hugs and kisses. They’re still permitted
@Anne Marie Devlin: Sex is ok too! Bit informal but worth a shot.
@Stephen Foster: I’m always getting hugs in informal situations. I’ll have to start carrying a stick!
@Cynical: A knee in the stones maybe?
@Patrick: if you don’t shake a man’s hand can you even be sure he’s real?
@Patrick: would you really want to shake a strangers hand when the virus is still present in the country?
@HairyTeeth: yeah I’ll live on the wild side. Didn’t get the memo that we’re waiting for the virus to magically disappear. This is pure insanity at this point. Brainwashing on a massive scale. They’ve reduced everyone to fearful mice and now we’re being dehumanized by all these new bans and rules. “New Normal”. Sickto my stomach
@Patrick: future physical greetings will be by elbowing, footing or bumming.
The bumming option is the top scientists preferred option as it’s not face to face.
Pretty annoying if the truth be told because I like shaking hands while drinks out of workmates tea cups…….
@Sean Higgins: I hope you have the decency to stir your tea with their pen……..
@Sean Higgins: I’ve seen 2 girls, 1 cup. It’s very unhygienic.
Ya, that will last about a week.
Our Dictators are dicktating
I agree with this. Purely because of my awkwardness when I meet someone new and I am trying to decide if it requires a hand shake or a raise the eyebrow slight smile and nod the head slightly.
@Caoimhín: Hug. Huge hug and a wet kiss on the cheek. All situations. Especially interviews.
@Ciaran Harford: and some tongue if you’re reading the situation correctly.
Banned !!!!!!! Discouraged would be a less confrontational word
They think everybody works in an office! What about all the staff in shops, restaurant, etc, this will never work.
No handshakes.. butt kissing is fine..
@Pat Kelly: If that’s what you’re into I suppose. I for one won’t be dropping me bags every time I meet up with someone
Some never left work to return, essential workers had No such protections as listed in detail here… disgraceful!!!.
A vaccination or curative therapy urgently please before we are all traumatised and damaged beyond repair. There’s a limit as to how long anyone can or wants to live like this. What a freak new world.
@Isabel Oliveira: most ridiculous is the absence of an essential rule : mandatory face masks in closed spaces : aka most offices !
Nothing new there so
With those measures 90% of businesses are over
It’s not clear how people with symptoms can get safely home. They seem to be saying that a manager should hire a long limo & drop you home. If you can’t get the bus or train home, can you get a taxi? Most taxis have a Perspex screen up, that should do?
Bumping chests is the way to go! Test of Masculinity. Lamo!
Once again clear and decisive guidance from the government on the tricky issue of getting businesses open.
Wow, I mean wow! They forgot to add in daily clarification of bears shitting in woods! That’s ridiculous. I’d be ashamed of this if I was anyway associated with it were they all pissed coming up with it or what, in 30 seconds it took!
@ThatLJD: I think you need to lie down. You’re clearly unwell.
@yell cub: so you don’t find the fanfare and heralding of these ‘inspiring and innovative’ measures to be entirely over the top for something so inept and embarrassing? It’s akin to RTE announcing Fair City best of DVDs!
@ThatLJD: are you ok?
@MZ Carruso: nope. I despise this type of rubbish
Can The Journal please get things right. Handhaking is NOT banned these are recommended actions only. Just like the other day you talked about over 70s being allowed out. Learn the difference between what is the law and what is a recommendation.
@Clanrickard: The HSA have the authority to close a business down if they don’t follow these recommendations, so although they may not be law individually, you must follow them to continue to operate. And since you love been pedantic the article says they are banned, not illegal!!
A NOD and a WINK will suffice
Whatever about children, who know no better, who in God’s name shares cups!?
@Patricia O’Reilly: Good soundbite fodder. I think she means those cups that are washed at work. In other words, bring your own.
Do like the dogs…circle each other and sniff their butts. This way u know if there in heat or not..great dating manuver.well it works for Fido.
@flamrock: Jesus, most of us would be happy if people use their own mug at their own desk. But it might be worth it to bring a real dog to work and have him lift his leg on pen-stealers.
Yeah. Good luck with that.
Admittedly a rock and a hard place with either continuing lockdown and starting business up again but it’s peoples lives versus the economy. This half lockdown thing seems a bit pointless.
This is a big mistake.
In time she will be begging a lot of those in business to reopen , not threaten to close them down .
Always preferred a milkshake to a handshake meself!
Restroom break boss!!
Can’t see this lasting makes you think we should extend the lockdown a bit longer
This is mass delusion at this point.
@Niamh McKinney: Please explain!
None these measures were in for the essential workers that have been working.
have your say