Pursuant to the principle of the rule of law in criminal matters, the Court of Justice has also recently ruled (in its judgment of 3 May 2005, cases C-387/02, C-391/02 and C-403/02) that a directive 'cannot, of itself and independently of a national law adopted by a Member State for its implementation, have the effect of determining or aggravating the liability in criminal law of persons who act in contravention of the provisions of that directive' (judgment of the Court of 8 October 1987, Case 80/86, Kolpinghuis Nilmegen , reports page 3969, point 13, and judgment of 7 January 2004, in cases C-60/02, X, not yet published in the reports, point 61, and the case law cited therein).
Pursuant to the principle of the rule of law in criminal matters, the Court of Justice has also recently ruled (in its judgment of 3 May 2005, cases C-387/02, C-391/02 and C-403/02) that a directive 'cannot, of itself and independently of a national law adopted by a Member State for its implementation, have the effect of determining or aggravating the liability in criminal law of persons who act in contravention of the provisions of that directive' (judgment of the Court of 8 October 1987, Case 80/86, Kolpinghuis Nilmegen , reports page 3969, point 13, and judgment of 7 January 2004, in cases C-60/02, X, not yet published in the reports, point 61, and the case law cited therein).