Law Key Words ELS🇪🇺(EU Law)

Question 1

TEU

Answer 1

Treaty of the European Union

Question 2

TFEU

Answer 2

Treaty of the functioning of the European Union

Question 3

EU Institutions

Answer 3

• The council of the European Union
• The Commission
• European Parliament
• Court of the Justice of the European Union

Question 4

Council of the EU

Answer 4

The European Council meets every three months, but convenes more frequently to address urgent issues. It sets out general policy objectives for the EU to follow, deals with sensitive political matters, and acts as a trouble-shooter for areas of business where ministers are unable to agree. After each meeting, the European Council publishes its ‘Conclusions’ — a text agreed by all participants. Although they are not binding, the European Commission follows up and may introduce new legislative proposals as a result

Question 5

The Commission

Answer 5

Part political body and part administration, which leads to confusion about its exact nature. Unlike other EU bodies, it is permanent and is therefore the institution that is most often identified with the EU. The Commission has four responsibilities that are central to the EU’s operation: it proposes legislation designed to implement the objectives outlined in EU treaties; it manages EU policy and the EU budget; it acts as the guardian of the treaties, monitoring compliance with EU law and referring suspected cases of non-compliance to the Courts; and it represents the EU in external trade negotiations.

Question 6

European Parliament

Answer 6

the second of the EU’s two law-making bodies. It also has appointment and dismissal powers over the Commission and forms the budgetary authority of the EU with the Council of the European Union.

Question 7

Court of the Justice of the European Union

Answer 7

is responsible for ensuring that ‘in the interpretation and application of the Treaties the law is observed’. It decides whether member governments or other public authorities in the member states have fulfilled their obligations under EU law, reviews the legality of EU laws, and offers on request from national courts interpretations of questions of EU law.

Question 8

Preliminary rulings

Answer 8

a decision rendered by the CJEU on a question referred by a court or a tribunal of a member state on the interpretation of Union law or the validity of a Union act

Question 9

Sources of EU Law

Answer 9

There are three sources of EU law: primary
law, general principles of EU law and secondary law (detailed in the hierarchy of norms). The main sources of primary law are the treaties establishing the EU: the TEU, the TFEU and the Treaty on the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)

Question 10

Treaties

Answer 10

European Communities Act 1972- Individuals can rely on treaties to enforce EU Law.

Question 11

Regulations

Answer 11

Article 288- TEFU The EU has the power to issue regulations which are binding in every respect and directly applicable in each Member State.

Question 12

Directives

Answer 12

These are issued by the EU and direct all member states to bring in the same laws throughout all the countries.

Question 13

Direct effect

Answer 13

Where member states have not implemented a directive within the time.

Question 14

Vertical effect direct

Answer 14

Vertical direct effect- where the individual can claim against the state even when a directive has not been implemented

Question 15

Horizontal direct effect

Answer 15

Directives which have not been implemented do not give individuals rights. You cannot claim against an individual.