The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) is the apex of the EU legal order, and is the supreme arbiter of EU law. For decades, it has delivered judgments, collectively shaping European integration and ‘integration through law’. It has undoubtedly been an authoritative leader in entrenching a European judicial culture, and has benefited from the cardinal principle of judicial independence enshrined in the EU Treaties, which in turn, it has insisted on being upheld as regards national courts. Questions have rarely arisen, however, about judicial independence of the CJEU. The Sharpston Affair of 2020–2021 opened the door to questioning such judicial independence. Is the CJEU at the mercy of the Member States? If so, what are the consequences for the EU legal order? This article reflects on the judicial independence of the CJEU, and offers reflections on how it can be preserved in the future.

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欧盟法院的独立性：夏普斯顿事件后成员国权力不受约束

欧盟法院（CJEU）是欧盟法律秩序的顶点，是欧盟法律的最高仲裁者。几十年来，它做出了判断，共同塑造了欧洲一体化和“通过法律实现一体化”。它无疑是巩固欧洲司法文化的权威领导者，并受益于欧盟条约所载司法独立的基本原则，而这反过来又坚持在国家法院方面得到维护。然而，关于欧洲法院的司法独立性的问题很少出现。2020-2021 年的夏普斯顿事件为质疑这种司法独立性打开了大门。欧盟法院是否任由成员国摆布？如果是这样，对欧盟法律秩序的后果是什么？本文反映了欧洲法院的司法独立性，