This article examines access to the European Court of Justice under Art.230 EC, relating to judicial review, and submits that the approach to locus standi for natural and legal persons under that article is both inconsistent and inappropriate. It is argued that other avenues of redress are often limited, the European Court of Justice has contradicted its own jurisprudence from other areas, the judicial review process has the potential to reduce the Community's democratic deficit, the jurisprudence is out of step with that of Member States and the approach contravenes rights protected by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The article concludes with proposals for reform of Art.230 EC