The mechanism of the preliminary reference stands as one of the cornerstones of European Union law. It establishes a channel of judicial cooperation between the national courts of Member States and the Court of Justice of the European Union ("CJEU"), ensuring the uniform interpretation and application of EU law across all Member States. Understanding this mechanism, and in particular the conditions under which a Cypriot court may invoke it, is of considerable practical importance for any party appearing in proceedings that raise a question of EU law.
