The glossary

Planning terms are often deeply embedded in the administrative and planning culture of a specific country, making direct translation challenging.

This English-language glossary provides translations and explanations of key terms used in the German planning system, aiming to support international discourse and improve accessibility for non-German-speaking audiences. We strive for consistency in terminology across this platform and in ARL publications, which can be accessed here.

The definitions are based on the national glossary for Germany, developed as part of the BSR INTERREG III B project COMMIN.

Click here to perform a search based on the English term.

Hier können sie vom deutschen Begriff ausgehend suchen.

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J

Judicial review proceedingsNormenkontrollverfahren

Judicial review proceedings are undertaken by the courts on request. A distinction is made between abstract judicial review, in which the validity of a law is examined independent from concrete cases, and concrete judicial review in which the court rules on the validity of the norm in examining the case at hand.

Judicial review addresses not only issues of material appropriateness but also compliance with superordinate laws and regulations. The plaintiff is entitled to take action only if directly affected. Private persons cannot therefore take legal action against spatial structure plans, since such plans cannot infringe individual rights under public law because, unlike binding land-use plans, they do not involve any direct reorganisation of land holdings. Potential plaintiffs are territorial authorities like municipalities, because they are bound by spatial structure planning. Judicial review proceedings are undertaken by the courts on request. A distinction is made between abstract judicial review, in which the validity of a law is examined independent from concrete cases, and concrete judicial review in which the court rules on the validity of the norm in examining the case at hand.