Access to Justice: Non-judicial Remedies in EU Law

Abstract

Existence of remedies is absolutely essential in every legal state which is based on justice and integrity. It is not possible to ignore their importance, they are the main instrument for preserving and developing the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals. These rights should always be at the top of the interests of any state or supranational institution. Still, there are many elements that weaken the position of an individual in seeking justice, or even prevent him / her from attaining it. The protection of individuals’ rights is offered not only by the judicial apparatus – nowadays, there are also many alternative methods available. And the European Union is making a substantial contribution.More than half of Europe’s countries have joined together to create a political and economic legal entity, inter alia, to improve the living standards of their people. Their rights are at the forefront of the Union’s interest and as such are protected by Union law. In the event of their breach, the European Union allows citizens to turn directly to its institutions as part of its complaints mechanism. The aim of this thesis is to examine in detail the process of access to non-judicial institutions of the Union – to the European Commission in the context of the infringement procedure, the European Parliament in the petitions procedure and the European Ombudsman, which are competent to investigate cases of breaches of Union law protecting citizens’ rights and also to ensure proper redress.