It is well understood in law that length of procedure can have an enormous impact on the effectiveness of judicial protection. Time is necessary to examine evidence and analyse facts. Yet circumstances often conspire to prove the truth of the saying that justice delayed is justice denied. It is in recognition of this dilemma that legal systems inevitably evolve the concept of interim relief.In this groundbreaking book, interim relief proceedings under EC law are seen as a paradigm for the understanding of the difficulties that individuals face when pursuing judicial protection of Community rights, whether at the European or national levels. Interim relief is, in this analysis, the fundamental safeguard of all rights against the power of Community institutions to adopt measures affecting them.