Preliminary rulings in criminal matters after Lisbon: the experience of Estonian courts
By: Laura Aiaots and Anneli Soo
References
- Agreement between the European Community and Ukraine on the facilitation of the issuance of visas (2007) Official Journal L 332, 18 December, pp. 68–76.
- ‘A.P. (Mesures de probation)’ (2020) Case No. C-2/19; EU:C:2020:237. Judgement of the Court, 26 March.
- Baker, E. (2015) ‘The Court of Justice of the EU and the “new” Lisbon Treaty environment five years on’, European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice, 23(1), pp. 1–10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1163/15718174-23012057
- Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2012) Official Journal C 326/391, 26 October, pp. 391–407.
- Code of Criminal Procedure (Estonia) 2004. Kriminaalmenetluse seadustik (KrMS). RT I 2003, 27, 166. Passed 12 February 2003, entered into force 1 July 2004. English consolidated version.
- ‘Commission delegated regulation (EU) 640/2014 of 11 March 2014 supplementing Regulation (EU) 1306/2013 with regard to the integrated administration and control system, conditions for refusal or withdrawal of payments, administrative penalties applicable to direct payments, rural-development support and cross-compliance’ (2014) Official Journal L 181, 20 June, pp. 48–73.
- ‘Consorzio Italian Management e Catania Multiservizi SpA v. Rete Ferroviaria Italiana SpA’ (CIM) (2021) Case No. C-561/19; EU:C:2021:799. Judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union, 6 October.
- ‘Council directive 2002/58/EC of 12 July 2002 concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the electronic-communications sector (Directive on privacy and electronic communications)’ (2002) Official Journal L 201, 31 July, pp. 37–47.
- ‘Council directive 2012/13/EU of 22 May 2012 on the right to information in criminal proceedings’ (2012) Official Journal L 142, 1 June, pp. 1–12.
- ‘Council directive (EU) 2016/97 of 20 January 2016 on insurance distribution (recast)’ (2016) Official Journal L 26, 2 February, pp. 19–59.
- ‘Council framework decision 2008/947/JHA of 27 November 2008 on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to judgements and probation decisions with a view to supervising probation measures and alternative sanctions’ (2008) Official Journal L 337, 16 December, pp. 102–122.
- ‘Council regulation (EC, Euratom) 2988/95 of 18 December 1995 on the protection of the European Communities’ financial interests’ (1995) Official Journal L 312, 23 December, pp. 1–4.
- ‘Council regulation (EU) 1306/2013 of 17 December 2013 on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy and repealing Council regulations (EEC) 352/78, (EC) 165/94, (EC) 2799/98, (EC) 814/2000, (EC) 1290/2005 and (EC) 485/2008’ (2013) Official Journal L 347, 20 December, pp. 549–607.
- ‘Council regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons regarding the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation)’ (2016) Official Journal L 119, 4 May, pp. 1–88.
- ‘Council regulation (EU) 2018/1672 of 23 October 2018 on controls on cash entering or leaving the Union and repealing Regulation (EC) 1889/2005’ (2018) Official Journal of the European Union, L 284, 12 November, pp. 6–21.
- Electronic Communications Act (Estonia) 2005. Elektroonilise side seadus (ESS). RT I 2004, 87, 593, entered into force 1 January 2005. English consolidated version.
- European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950) European Treaty Series No. 5, opened for signature 4 November 1950.
- Explanatory memorandum to the draft act amending the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Code of Misdemeanour Procedure and the Electronic Communications Act (2025) 12 August. Available at: https://eelnoud.valitsus.ee/main#pRZ93Tdk (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- ‘Foglia v. Novello’ (1980) Case No. 104/79; EU:C:1980:73. Judgement of the Court, 11 March.
- ‘H.K. v. Prokuratuur (Conditions d’accès aux données relatives aux communications électroniques)’ (2021) Case No. C-746/18, EU:C:2021:152. Judgement of the Court, 2 March.
- Heard, C. and Shaeffer, R. (2011) ‘Making defence rights practical and effective: towards an EU directive on the right to legal advice’, New Journal of European Criminal Law, 2(3), pp. 270–281. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/203228441100200305.
- Heffernan, L. (2023) ‘European court system and its role in shaping European criminal law’, in K. Ambos and P. Rackow (eds) The Cambridge companion to European criminal law. Cambridge University Press, pp. 30–56. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108891875.004.
- Lõhmus, U. (2016) ‘Vahistamise aluseks olevate tõendite kättesaadavaks tegemine kahtlustatavale: Riigikohtu kriminaalkolleegiumi 4. mai 2016. a määrus kohtuasjas 3-1-1-110-15’ [The disclosure of the evidence forming the basis of arrest to the suspect: ruling of the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court in Case No. 3-1-1-110-15 of 4 May 2016], Juridica, 6, pp. 423–430.
- Maher, I. (2022) ‘The CILFIT doctrine and the discretion of national courts under Article 267 TFEU’, European Papers, 7(1), pp. 265–274.
- ‘Maksu- ja Tolliamet v. UT (Alenopik)’ (2025) Case No. C-745/23; EU:C:2025:294. Judgement of the Court, 30 April.
- Passalacqua, V. and Costamagna, F. (2023) ‘The law and facts of the preliminary-reference procedure: a critical assessment of the EU Court of Justice’s sources of knowledge’, European Law Open, 2 (Special Issue 2), pp. 322–344. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/elo.2023.26.
- ‘R.M. and E.M. v. Eesti Vabariik’ (2024) Case No. C-437/22; EU:C:2024:176. Judgement of the Court, 29 February.
- Soo, A. (2016) ‘Milliseks kujuneb Euroopa Kohtu roll kaitseõiguste tagamisel kriminaalmenetluses?’ [What will be the role of the European Court of Justice in ensuring defence rights in criminal proceedings?], Juridica, 9, pp. 665–675.
- ‘Srl CILFIT and Lanificio di Gavardo SpA v. Ministry of Health’ (1982) Case No. 283/81; EU:C:1982:335. Judgement of the Court, 6 October.
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2016a) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 3-1-1-110-15. Order of 4 May 2016. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid?asjaNr=3-1-1-110-15 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2016b) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 3-1-1-109-15. Judgement of 22 February 2016. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid?asjaNr=3-1-1-109-15 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2020a) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 1-17-4942/31. Order of 26 March 2020. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid?asjaNr=1-17-4942/31 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2020b) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 1-18-9594/31. Judgement of 29 May 2020. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid?asjaNr=1-18-9594/31 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2021a) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 1-16-6179/111. Judgement of 18 June 2021. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid/?asjaNr=1-16-6179/111 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2021b) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 1-16-6179. Judgement of 18 June 2021. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid?asjaNr=1-16-6179 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2024) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 1-20-1599/78. Judgement of 26 April 2024. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid/?asjaNr=1-20-1599/78 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2025a) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 4-23-749/38. Judgement of 22 May 2025. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid?asjaNr=4-23-749/38 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2025b) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 4-24-2034/52. Judgement of 4 June 2025. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid?asjaNr=4-24-2034/52 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Supreme Court of Estonia (2025c) Criminal Chamber. Case No. 4-24-2178/40. Judgement of 12 June 2025. Available at: https://www.riigikohus.ee/et/lahendid?asjaNr=4-24-2178/40 (Accessed: 24 July 2026).
- Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community (2007) Official Journal C 306, 17 December, pp. 1–271.
- Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (consolidated version) (2016) Official Journal C 202, 7 June, pp. 47–200.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bjes-2026-0014 | Journal eISSN: 2674-4619 (formerly 2228-0596) | Journal ISSN: 2674-4600 (formerly 2228-0596)
Language: English
Page range: 7 - 32
Published online: Oct 25, 2026
Published in print: Dec 1, 2026
Published by: Tallinn University of Technology
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Keywords:
Related subjects:
© 2026 Laura Aiaots, Anneli Soo, published by Tallinn University of Technology
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.