European Union law

European Union law is the body of treaties, legislation, and court decisions governing the European Union and its member states within EU competences. It has primacy over conflicting national law in areas where it applies.

Treaty on European Union: An EU treaty establishing the Union’s objectives, institutions, and core principles. It sets the constitutional framework within which EU law operates.
Primacy of European Union law: The doctrine that applicable EU law takes precedence over conflicting national law. It resolves conflicts between EU obligations and member-state rules.
EU regulation: A binding EU legal act that applies directly in every member state. Regulations create common rules without requiring national transposition.
National law: The body of rules made and enforced within a state’s legal system. Its interaction with EU law raises questions of primacy, competence, and implementation.
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: An EU treaty detailing the Union’s competences, policies, and institutional procedures. It supplies much of the legal basis for legislation and EU action.
Direct effect: The doctrine allowing individuals to invoke certain EU provisions before national courts. It gives some EU rules enforceable force in domestic litigation.
EU directive: A binding EU legal act that sets results for member states to achieve through national law. Directives leave states a choice of form and methods for meeting EU objectives.
Public international law: The rules governing relations among states and other subjects of international law. EU law is treaty-founded but has a distinctive legal order operating within member states.
European Commission: The EU institution that proposes legislation, implements policies, and oversees compliance with EU law. It initiates many legislative acts and can pursue infringements by member states.
Preliminary ruling: A procedure through which national courts ask the Court of Justice to interpret EU law or assess its validity. It keeps EU law interpretation coherent across national court systems.

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