40According to the settled case-law of the Court, although it is for the Member States alone to define their essential security interests and to adopt appropriate measures to ensure their internal and external security, including decisions relating to the organisation of their armed forces, the mere fact that a national measure has been taken for the purpose of protecting national security cannot render EU law inapplicable and exempt the Member States from their obligation to comply with that law (see, to that effect, judgments of 26 October 1999, Sirdar, C‑273/97, EU:C:1999:523, paragraph 15; of 11 January 2000, Kreil, C‑285/98, EU:C:2000:2, paragraph 15; and of 6 October 2020, Privacy International, C‑623/17, EU:C:2020:790, paragraph 44 and the case-law cited). The same must apply to national measures adopted for the protection of the territorial integrity of a Member State.
Source: EUR-Lex, © European Union, 1998-2026. Reuse authorised under Decision 2011/833/EU.