EU Sources of Law Flashcards
What are the 3 main sources of EU law?
Treaties
Regulations
Directives
What is a primary source of EU law?
Treaties
What is a treaty?
Document setting out the broad principles of EU law
Highest source of EU law
Who are all treaties signed by to become part of English Law?
Our head of Government
What does the European Communities Act 1972 do to English law?
Makes EU law a part of English law automatically (directly applicable)
Macarthys Ltd. v Smith 1980 ECJ
Macarthys Ltd. v Smith 1980 ECJ
Smith’s employers paid her less than male predecessor for exactly same job
Man = £60 pw, managing stok
Smith = £50 pw
Not employed at the same time = no breach English laws on discrimination (EPA 1970)
ECJ held = able to claim her employer = breach Art 157 TFEU on equal pay of m+w
What are English Cts now prepared to do in relation to Treaty law?
Apply European Treaty law directly rather than wait for the ECJ to make a ruling on a point
Who can rely on the rights in the TFEU and other treaties?
All MS, even though these may not have been specifically enacted into English law
Macarthys Ltd. v Smith
What are the secondary sources of EU law?
Regulations
Directives
What do secondary sources of EU law enable?
The broad principles of T to be transformed into concrete rules of law
Add detail to the framework of the T
What is the aim of regulations and directives?
Achieve uniformity of law in all MS
What are regulations?
Similar to an act of P
Directly applicable - part of Eng law as soon passed
Both horizontal + direct effect
What case tested the direct applicability of EU regulations?
Re Tachographs Commission v UK (1979) ECJ
EU issued regulation requiring tachographs to be installed into every lorry
UK decided not to implement - decision up to driver
Matter = referred to ECJ
Held that MS had no discretion in the case of regulations
Wording of Art 288 = clear, directly applicable to ALL MS
What does Article 288 TFEU give the EU the power to make?
Regulations
Directives
What are directives?
Broadly termed documents sent to MS for them to create their own law on a specific topic
MS are directed to achieve objectives by a certain date, usually 2 yrs
Flexibility on how