Administrative Law
Administrative law, together with constitutional, criminal, tax and social security, and some aspects of family law, is a branch of public law. It is a part of the law that governs the activities of administrative authorities or public bodies of a state. As legislative bodies worldwide have been creating more government bodies or departments that regulate socioeconomic interaction, administrative law has expanded greatly so that the action of these bodies would remain in check. Administrative law deals with the decision-making of any administrative body including offices e.g. the public information office, departments e.g. the planning and housing department, tribunals e.g. a refugee tribunal, boards e.g. the electricity producers’ licensing board or commissions e.g. a public employment or procurement commission that are part of the state’s regulatory scheme.
In Cyprus there are specific Administrative Courts that deal with disputes between the state and the individual regarding administrative decisions or indeed, a refusal by the administration to decide. Any administrative action or inaction may be subject to judicial review for a variety of administrative decisions which may include decisions affecting individuals, rule and regulation making, adjudication, enforcement of a specific policy and many others. Administrative decisions that may be reviewed cover a wide variety of areas such as trade, manufacturing, the environment, taxation and social security, broadcasting, telecommunication, electricity, infrastructure transport, immigration etc. The Cyprus administrative courts have developed an enormous amount of jurisprudence in its case laws drawing guidance from German, French and Greek court decisions. This jurisprudence has been codified in The General Principles of Administrative Law, (Law 158(I)/1999) providing statutory power to legal administrative principles that have been developed by case law.
Our Services
We are at your disposal to give you a Legal Opinion or to undertake any judicial review for all matters, claims and disputes such as:
- Unfair imposition of licence conditions or environmental obligations e.g. for emissions, for buildings, for manufacturing plants, for electricity plants, etc.
- Imposition of taxes or other contributions.
- Expropriation and requisition of land decisions.
- Taxi or Lawry licenses.
- Refusal to grant visas or refugee status.
- Decisions involving permits, licences, grants, benefits, allowances etc.
- Decisions involving employment in the public sector (e.g. refusal to appoint, to employ, to promote etc.)
- Decisions involving public procurement or public tender contracts.
- Appeals etc.