General principles of French law

In French law, judges cannot create legal norms, because of the principle known as "la prohibition des arrêts de règlement" of Article 5 of the French civil code: "Judges are forbidden from pronouncing in a generally dispositive and regulatory fashion on the matters submitted to them." They can only put into evidence and interpret existing norms. This general principle underlies the state of existing law, which is merely uncovered by the judge.

The general principles of law, principes généraux du droit, PGD are rules of universal scope which:

• apply even when unwritten;
• are uncovered through case law;
• are not created but "discovered" by the judge, based on the state of law and society at a given point in time.[1]

The Court of Justice of the European Union also recognizes general principles of law in European Union law. In international law, "general principles of law recognized by civilized nations" are considered a source of law under Article 38.1 (c) of the statute governing the International Court of Justice.[2][3]

Traditionally, the general principles of law have a very minor role in civil law, which is essentially codified, and a much larger role in administrative law, which is largely based on case law,[4] since for a very long time, very few texts of general scope covered all, or even most, administrative activities.

These general principles, and particularly their judicial interpretation, have been debated in legal theory. The expression "general principles of law" was consecrated after the Liberation of France by an arrêt[5] about the rights of defendants. (principe des droits de la défense)[6] The Tribunal des conflits cited this principle, in its decision of 8 February 1873, titled Dugave et Bransiet.[7]

Fundamental rules on the rights of citizens

Principles based on liberty

• Freedom of commerce and of industry: (Liberté du commerce et de l'industrie [fr])[8][9][10]

Principles based on equality

• Equality of users under public services[11][12][13]
• Equality under tax law[14][15]
• Equality in public payments[16][17]
• Equal access of citizens to public employment[18][19]
• Equal treatment for officials of the same agency[20][21][22]
• Equality under the judicial system[23]

Extradition law

The Conseil d'État has brought out a number of principles on this topic:

• No extraditions of political refugees[24][25]
• No extraditions for political reasons[26] Here the Conseil d'Etat is not recognizing a general principle of law but one of the fundamental principles recognized by the laws of the Republic
• No extradition that would have grave consequences, notably due to age and health[27]
• No extraditions if the requesting state's legal system does not recognize fundamental rights and freedoms[28][29]
• No extraditions if the requesting state can impose a death penalty and has not guaranteed that it will refrain from doing so[30]

Procedural rules

Rules of judicial administrative procedure

• Defendant rights in administrative matters (Droits de la défense en matière administrative)[31][32] in penal law[33] This principle has been recognized by the French Constutitional Council (Conseil constitutionnel) as among the fundamental principles recognized by the laws of the Republic, in criminal[34] as well as in administrative law.[35][36]
• All administrative actions are subject to appeal (Recourse for abuse of power in France [fr][37])
• Proceedings in the judicial system must be held in public[38]

Rules of unlitigated administrative procedure

• Administrative rules must be published.[39][40]
• Administrative actions must not be retroactive. (Retroactivity in French law [fr][41])

References

1. Fiches d'orientation: Principe général du droit - Mai 2022 Dalloz, May 2022
2. "Statute of the International Court of Justice, June 26, 1945". The Avalon Project. Yale Law School.
3. Mejía-Lemos, Diego (2022), Kammerhofer, Jörg; Arajärvi, Noora; Merkouris, Panos (eds.), "Custom and the Regulation of 'the Sources of International Law'", The Theory, Practice, and Interpretation of Customary International Law, Cambridge University Press, pp. 137–160, doi:10.1017/9781009025416.008, ISBN 978-1-316-51689-8
4. James W. Garner (April 1924). "French Administrative Law". Yale Law Journal. p. 598. doi:10.2307/787920.
5. CE, Ass, 26 October 1945, Aramu et autres
6. "Principes généraux du droit". www.lexinter.net. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
7. Protière, Guillaume (2018). "Fiche 17. Les principes généraux du droit". Fiches de Droit administratif. Cairn.info: 105–109.
8. Conseil d'Etat, Ass. (Conseil d'État en banc), 22 June 1951, Daudignac [fr]
9. Conseil d'Etat Sect. (Conseil d'Etat en Section du contentieux  [fr], 13 May 1994, Président de l'Assemblée territoriale de la Polynésie Française.
10. See also loi d'Allarde
11. Conseil d'État, Sect, 9 March 1951, Société des concerts du conservatoire, Recueil Lebon. p. 151, GAJA (Grands arrêts de la jurisprudence administrative) number 67
12. Conseil d'Etat, Ass., 25 June 1948, Société du Journal l'Aurore, Leb. p. 289, GAJA number 62
13. Conseil d'Etat, 1974, Denoyez et Chorques
14. Revue générale du droit, 'Conseil d’Etat, Assemblée, 7 février 1958, Syndicat des propriétaires de forêts de chênes-lièges d’Algérie et autres, requête numéro 39269, rec. p. 74, ' : Revue générale du droit on line, 1958, numéro 17174 (www.revuegeneraledudroit.eu/?p=17174)
15. Conseil d'Etat 22 February 1974, Association des maires de France: Dalloz 1974 p. 520
16. Conseil d'Etat 7 February 1958 [Syndicat des propriétaires de chêne-liège d'Algérie: AJDA 1958 II p. 130
17. *Conseil d’Etat, Assemblée, 7 February 1958, Syndicat des propriétaires de forêts de chênes-lièges d’Algérie et autres, requête numéro 39269, rec. p. 74
    • Revue générale du droit, 'Conseil d’Etat, Assemblée, 7 February 1958, Syndicat des propriétaires de forêts de chênes-lièges d’Algérie et autres], requête numéro 39269, rec. p. 74
    • Revue générale du droit on line, 1958, numéro 17174 (www.revuegeneraledudroit.eu/?p=17174
18. CE, Ass, 28 May 1954, Barel et autres, Rec. (Recueil des arrêts du Conseil d'Etat p. 308 concl. Letourneur, GAJA (grands arrêts de la jurisprudence administrative) n° 77
19. Conseil d'Etat, 9 November 1966, Commune de Clohars-Carnoët
20. Conseil d'État, Ass., 21 July 1972}, Union Interfédérale des Syndicats de la Préfecture de Police et de la Sûreté Nationale
21. [1],
22. Conseil Constitutionnel:
    • Décision n° 76-67 DC of 15 July 1976,
    • Décision n° 82-153 DC of 14 January 1983,
    • Décision n° 84-179 DC of 12 September 1984,
    • Décision n° 87-229 DC of 22 July 1987.
23. Conseil constitutionnel, décision n° 75-56 DC of 23 July 1975
24. CE Ass. 1 April 1988, Bereciartua-Echarri
25. Le Conseil d’Etat et la protection des droits fondamentaux Par Jean-Marc Sauvé, Vice-président du Conseil d'État, 27 October 2016
26. CE Ass., 3 July 1996 Koné
27. CE 13 October 2000 Kozirev
28. CE, 26 September 1984 | Lujambio Galdeano
29. Hurpy, Hélène; Afroukh, Mustapha (2015). "ÉLOIGNEMENT DES ÉTRANGERS TERRORISTES ET ARTICLE 3 DE LA CONVENTION EUROPÉENNE DES DROITS DE L'HOMME: "Lutte contre le terrorisme et droits fondamentaux"". RDLF.
30. CE, 27 February 1987, Fidan
31. CE, Sect., 5 May 1944, Dame Veuve Trompier Gravier, Leb. p. 133, GAJA n° 58
32. Ass., 26 October 1945, Aramu, Leb. p. 21
33. CE, Ass., 19 October 1962, Canal, Robin et Godot, Leb. p. 552, GAJA n° 88
34. Conseil Constitutionnel, Dec. number 76-70 DC of 2 December 1976, Rec. p. 39
35. CC, déc. number 77
36. 83 DC of 20 July 1977, Rec. p. 39
37. Conseil d'Etat, Ass, 17 February 1950, Ministre de l'agriculture c. Dame Lamotte, Leb. p. 110, GAJA number 67
38. CE, Ass., 4 October 1974, Dame David, Leb. p. 464 concl. M. Gentot
39. Conseil d'etat, 12 December 2003, Syndicat des commissaires et hauts fonctionnaires de la police nationale
40. Conseil d'Etat, 5th and 7th sub-sections combined, 12 December 2003, 243430, published in the Lebon collection. Retrieved 2017-09-17.
41. Conseil d'Etat, Ass, 25 June 1948, Société du Journal l'Aurore, Leb. p. 289, GAJA number 64