Subject Guides: Law: European Union Law

EU Law

Treaties

Treaties are foundational documents of the European Community. They set out the aims and objectives of the European Community and provide a framework for legislation. Treaties are primary source of EU law.

Community legislation

Community legislation refers to the secondary legislation made by the three law-making institutions in the EU, European Parliament, Council of the European Union and the European Commission. The main sources of secondary legislation are regulations, directives and decisions.

Regulations: are of general application and are binding in their entirety to all member states.
Directives: are addressed to one or more member states, they are binding to the result to be achieved, but specific implementation is left to member states.
Decisions: are addressed to specific individuals, institutions or countries, and are binding in their entirety.

EU Courts and Law

European Court of Justice

Interprets and ajudicates EU laws to ensure consistency across the Member States.
European Court of Auditors

The European Court of Auditors was established in 1975 to improve financial management and report on the use of public funds. Audits the financing of EU activities. The website provides access the the full-text of the annual reports and opinions.

EU law reviews and journals

Common Market Law Review

Provides in-depth examination of important issues on European Union Law, such as the European Monetary Union, state aid policy and practice, internal market, protection of fundamental rights and European Union Law in National Courts. The review includes articles from practitioners and academics; annontations of cases from the European Court of Justice, as well as relevant cases from national courts, the WTO, the European Court of Human Rights, and other tribunals addressing European Union Law.
European Law Journal

Developed specifically to express and develop the study and understanding of European law in its social, cultural, political and economic context. The journal provides commentary on how EU impacts on environmental issues, national legal systems, local government, economic organisations and European citizens.
European Law Review

English-language journal covering the law relating to European integration and the Council of Europe. Provides both academic articles and valuable information for practitioners on the practice and administration of the law. It publishes articles on all aspects of European law and commentaries on current developments.
Yearbook of European Law

Provides diverse theoretical approaches towards the study of law and critical analysis of topical issues related to EU law. The Yearbook published contributions in the following broad areas: the law of the European Union, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights, related aspects of international law, and comparative laws of Europe.

Institutions and Official Publications

Reference resources

When embarking on a new topic area a good starting point can be background and reference sources. These will enable you to gain an overview of the topic and understand the terminology.

Institutions and committees

European Commission
Main generator of new EU legislation.

The European Commission is one of the law-making institutions of the EU. It drafts proposals for new European laws and oversees Member States implementation of directives, regulations and policies. The Commission manages the EU budget and allocates funding.
Council of the European Union
Jointly enacts laws from those proposed by the Commission with the European Parliament.

The EU Council is composed of selected ministers from each of the member states. It is responsible for passing laws proposed by the Commission, coordinating economic policies, sigining international agreements and approving the EU budget.
European Parliament
One of the EU’s main law-making institutions. Shares legislative powers equally with the Counicl of the European Union.

European Parliament's has 785 members (MEPs) representing each of the Member States. MEPs are elected by EU voters every 5 years. The main roles of Parliament are:
- Overseeing the work of other EU intitutions
- Accepting, amending and rejecting EU Laws
- Making decisions on the budget, with the Council of the European Union.
European Council
Responsible for developing, defining and prioratising the main political issues for the EU. Distinct and separate body from the Council of the European Union described above.
European Economic and Social Committee
Consultative body, issue opinions on the single market and EU legislation.

Established in 1957 in response to the Treaty of Rome. Consists of 344 members drawn from economic and social interest groups across Europe. The website provides access to the full-text of all the opinions produced by the EECS.
Committee of the Regions
Represents regional and local authorites. The COR must be consulted on EU laws that impact local or regional matters.

The COR has 300 members representing the each of the Member states. It issues opinions on legislation from a reigonal or local point of view. The website provides access to the full-text of opinions issued by the COR. The Europe in my Region tool provides access to vast amount of news and information about the Member States.
European Investment Bank
European Central Bank
Responsible for monetary policy.
European Ombudsman

Government gazettes

Government Gazettes will often provide the text of primary laws, as well as policies and decisions. Most countries will publish a gazette, but the content will vary widely.

FORUM
European Forum of Official Gazettes is a portal to the gazettes (where laws, decrees, etc are published) of many countries. Includes links to the online versions of gazettes, Collections of consolidated legislation and Legislative portals and Online databases. Covers E.U., EFTA, EU Candidate Countries & Potential EU candidate countries.

Law

European Union Law

European Union Law Resources

View resources by area:

UK Law

European Union Law

Foreign and Comparative Law

Law and History