Barbara Janusz-Pohl examined the Court of Justice of the European Union’s approach to judicial organization

During the international seminar Advances and Setbacks of Democracy in the European Space, Barbara Janusz-Pohl from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań examined the Court of Justice of the European Union’s approach to judicial organization. Her presentation analyzed how the Court has interpreted its role in shaping national judicial structures in order to safeguard fundamental EU values and uphold the rule of law within Member States.

She explored the evolution of the Court’s case law, noting that judicial independence and effective judicial protection have increasingly become central benchmarks in assessing national legal systems. Janusz-Pohl explained that this jurisprudence reflects a growing willingness of the Court to intervene when domestic reforms risk undermining institutional guarantees.

The presentation also addressed whether this interpretation should be understood as a functional development of EU law or as a potential ultra vires action extending beyond the Court’s competences. She emphasized that this question remains controversial, particularly in light of tensions between supranational oversight and national constitutional autonomy.

Janusz-Pohl highlighted the ongoing debate regarding the balance between protecting EU values and respecting Member States’ authority in organizing their judicial systems. She concluded that the Court’s approach raises important constitutional questions about the limits of EU intervention and the future relationship between national sovereignty and European legal integration.