Op-Ed: “Transparency and Legal Certainty of the References to International Standards in EU Law: Smoke Signals from Luxembourg?: Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd and Others (C-160/20)” by Annalisa Volpato

With its judgment in case Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd and Others (C-160/20) of 22 February 2022, the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union (Court of Justice) has set a fundamental milestone on the legal status and consequences of incorporating global standards in EU legislation. The decision may represent a welcome development for those who advocated for an application of the general principles of EU law and of fundamental guarantees of legitimacy and democracy in the context of the controversial world of technical standardisation. Yet, the reasoning of the Court appears purposefully elusive on the core issues of the case and on the concrete application of the ruling, ultimately raising more questions than answers