European Law

European law comprises the complex set of laws that govern the European Community. It is a unique legal system that operates alongside the individual laws of each member state in the European Union. EU law directly affects the legal systems of its members, and can even override national law.

The EU itself is a new form of international law, designed for the mutual benefit (both economic and social) of its member states. Approximately 500 million people in 27 member states are subject to EU law, making it both encompassing and dynamic in its scope.

EU law is structurally based around three pillar laws. The first is the law concerning economic and social right, the second how the EU conducts common foreign and security policy, and the third how the EU governs justice and home affairs. The first pillar is generally called EC law, the second and third EU law.

European law contains various different organisations and associations, each of which is responsible for different areas of the law. European law is also based on several key principles, including subsidiarity, proportionality, the principle of conferral and the precautionary principle. The EU is based on the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour between member states.

European law is generally divided into three types: treaties (primary legislation), institutional acts (secondary legislation), and case law. The entire body is called Acquis Communautaire, and is divided into 31 separate chapters. Procedures in European law include Codecision procedure, Assent procedure and Consultation procedure. European law now clearly stands as superior to individual laws of the member states, although not always with agreement from member states. European law directives have direct effects across an entire spectrum of cases.