"The Hypotheticality of a Preliminary Reference to the Court of Justice of the EU as a Viewpoint of its Inadmissibility

The Hypotheticality of a Preliminary Reference to the Court of Justice of the EU as a Viewpoint of its Inadmissibility Abstract This master thesis analyses the case-law of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) concerning the admissibility of preliminary references. In particular, it focuses on one of the criteria of CJEU's admissibility review - inadmissibility on the grounds of hypotheticality. It argues that there are essentially two types of hypothetical questions: those that arise of contrived (hypothetical) disputes and those that are hypothetical in nature, because they require the CJEU to give an advisory opinion on a matter that is not adjudicated in the main proceedings. The two categories differ in the approach taken by the CJEU. Whereas in cases of hypothetical disputes the CJEU rejects all preliminary questions posed by the referring judge, it will only selectively declare inadmissible a single question or certain questions exceeding its jurisdiction in the latter case. First, this contribution sets out the broader context of the functioning of the preliminary reference procedure, highlighting both the principles of the procedure and the roles of the numerous actors concerned. Subsequently, it follows the emergence of the hypothetical questions doctrine in the seminal C-104/79 Foglia, C-244/80..