Srl CILFIT v Ministry of Health

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Srl CILFIT v Ministry of Health (1982) – simple summary

Srl CILFIT and Lanificio di Gavardo SpA v Ministry of Health (Case C-283/81) was a European Court of Justice case about how national courts handle questions about EU law.

What happened
- CILFIT, a wool importer in Italy, paid a fixed health inspection levy.
- After appeals failed, the case went to Italy’s Court of Cassation.
- The Ministry of Health argued the facts were so clear that there was no need for the case to go to the ECJ for a preliminary ruling.

ECJ ruling
- A national court of last instance does not have to refer a question to the ECJ if the issue is acte clair (clear) or if the ECJ has already given an interpretation on the same question.
- There must be no need for a ruling if the answer is obvious.

Conditions
- Before deciding not to refer, the national court must be convinced that the matter is equally obvious to the courts of other member states and to the ECJ.

Context and interpretation
- Every provision of EU law must be interpreted in its context and in light of the whole body of EU law and its objectives at the time of application.

Why it matters
- The case is famous for reaffirming that EU law should be read in its broader context and for setting criteria for when a national court can skip sending a question to the ECJ for a preliminary ruling.