LABOUR LAW : ECJ: GERMAN RULES VIOLATE PRINCIPLE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION.

• Position: European Court of Justice

The EU Court of Justice handed down a ruling, on 19 January, that reiterates the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of age at the workplace. The role of the national court in enforcing EU law is also stressed by the court in Case C-555/07.

The ECJ held that German rules on redundancies run counter to EU law. Under German law, periods of employment completed before the employee has reached the age of 25 are not taken into account for calculating notice periods in case of dismissal.

This principle of non-discrimination on grounds of age was first recognised in the Mangold judgement, in November 2005, and...