Walter BRUNO

• Current position

  Walter Bruno is a Doctoral Researcher in EU Procedural Law at the Luxembourg Centre for European Law, University of Luxembourg.

• Research

  His research in EU law focuses on the litigation and procedural aspects of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). His doctoral thesis provides an in-depth procedural analysis of strategic litigation before the CJEU, examining how the Court adjudicates these cases by applying its rules. The thesis identifies inconsistencies and loopholes that undermine the Court’s legitimacy and the right to effective judicial protection, with a particular emphasis on strategic litigation in EU data protection and digital law.

  In addition to his PhD work, Walter examines the institutional and legal framework of the CJEU, exploring its evolution and reforms. He also delves into EU judicial remedies and EU climate litigation. Furthermore, Walter teaches a course in EU constitutional law as part of the Bachelor in Law program.

• Awards/ Distinctions

  Merit Award of the University of Trento for having achieved remarkable results throughout his studies (2021)

• Work experience

  From 2023 he is Analyst at EU Law Live, commenting on recent developments in the hearings and the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU. Between 2021 and 2023, he was a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg for Procedural Law.

• Educational background

  Walter Bruno obtained an LLM in European Legal Studies at the College of Europe in Bruges in 2021, with a thesis on the jurisdiction of the CJEU. Previously he graduated with a 5-year Law Degree at the University of Trento with a thesis on the judicial protection of fundamental rights in Europe. In that framework, he has been a visiting researcher at the Université de Montpellier (France).

Articles and blog posts

• W. Bruno, ‘Op-Ed: Three Questions to rule (on) them All: the full Court Hearing in the Case Commission v. Hungary on the Justiciability of EU Values against Member States (C-769/22)’, (EU Law Live, 25 November 2024).
• W. Bruno, ‘Op-Ed: Hunting for Knowledge? The Court invalidates Malta’s Scheme for live-capturing wild Birds: balancing legal Certainty and Proportionality in the Absence of scientific Expertise (C-23/23, Commission v. Malta)’, (EU Law Live, 16 October 2024).
• D. Sarmiento, P-H. Conac, O. Baillet, W. Bruno (eds), Yearbook on Procedural Law of the Court of Justice of the European Union – 2023 (5th edn), (2024) LCEL Research Paper Series 1.
• W. Bruno, ‘Air pollution as a whole: the Court of Justice strengthens environmental standards in Ambient Air Quality Directive over contrasting Industrial Emissions Directive derogations’, (2024) European Journal of Risk Regulation, 15, 465-471.
• F. Bandini, W. Bruno, ‘Op-Ed: “The train shall stop in Luxembourg”: AG Ćapeta stands for fundamental rights jurisdiction in CFSP action (Joined cases KS and KD C-29/22 P and C-44/22 P)’, (EU Law Live, 6 December 2023).
• W. Bruno, ‘Op-Ed: Pollution is in the details: Court of Justice prioritises Air Quality Directive’s highest standards over the Industrial Emissions Directive derogations (Case C-375/21 Sdruzhenie’ Za Cemyata – dostap do pravosadle’ and Others)”, (EU Law Live, 29 March 2023).
• W. Bruno, ‘Conference Report: Giuseppe Tesauro Memorial Conference, Eulogy of a Giurista-Gentiluomo, Naples 1-2 July 2022’, (2022) Yearbook of Antitrust and Regulatory Studies 15(26), 185-190.
• B. Hess, W. Bruno, ‘Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (Grand Chamber) of 19 December 2019, Deutsche UmWelthilfe eV v Freistaat Bayern, C-752/18’, in Daniel Sarmiento, Hélène Ruiz Fabri, and Burkhard Hess (eds), Yearbook on Procedural Law of the Court of Justice of the European Union – 2021 (3rd edn),(2022) MPILux Research Paper Series 5.
• W. Bruno, ‘Analysis: EU judges look into restrictive measures against Russian media – Four critical questions from the hearing in Russia Today France v Council(T-125/22)’, (EU Law Live, 14 June 2022).
• L. Hornkohl, W. Bruno, ‘Entropy in Differing Constitutional Traditions? Standing in Climate Actions across the EU before the Court of Justice and National Courts’, (2022) EU Law Live Weekend Edition 93.

Presentations (conferences and workshops as a speaker)

• W. Bruno, F Bandini, ‘In search of a Trojan horse: Conquering CJEU’s jurisdiction through effective judicial protection in CFSP matters?’, 9^th Geneva Jean Monnet Doctoral Workshop – Effective Judicial Protection and EU External Action, Centre d’études juridiques européennes, University of Geneva, 26 November 2024.
• W. Bruno, ‘Preparedness of the Court of Justice of the EU to navigate times of transitions’, ICON-S Italy 2024 Annual Conference, University of Trento 18-19 October 2024.
• W. Bruno, ‘Cambiare tutto per non cambiare niente? Il contenzioso davanti alla CGUE alla luce della riforma della Corte di Giustizia del 2024’ (Litigation before the CJEU in the light of the 2024 CJEU reforms), ICON-S Italy 2024 Annual Conference, University of Trento 18-19 October 2024.
• W. Bruno, ‘A Court for troubled waters? The impact of the procedural reform of 2024 on scientific and technological litigation before the CJEU’, The 2024 Reforms of the Court of Justice of the European Union, University of Luxembourg, 16 October 2024.
• W. Bruno, ‘Strategic Litigation before the Court of Justice of the European Union’, IUROPA Workshop on Law and Courts, ARENA Centre for European Studies, University of Oslo, 10-13 September 2024.
• W. Bruno, ‘Challenging the legality of EU sanctions before the General Court: cases Prigozhin v Council, T-723/20 and RT France v Council, T-125/22’, Recent Trends in the Case Law of the Court of Justice of the EU, Annual conference EIPA Luxembourg, Luxembourg, 1-2 December 2022.
• W. Bruno, L. Hornkohl, ‘Entropy in Progress. A Comparative Outlook on Standing in the Climate Actions Across the EU’, Comparative Law in the Practice of European Supranational Courts, AIDC-SIRD Young Comparatists Conference, University of Luxembourg, 16-17 June 2022.