An introduction to EU law and institutions Chris Bryant September 2015

An introduction to EU law and institutionsChris BryantSeptember 2015

Overview

• The EU

• EU Treaties & Institutions

• Substantive Law• Refresher of some basics

• Procedure• EU legislative process• Infringement procedures / complaints• National measures - notification procedure• The Courts

• Eurobabble

www.blplaw.com Page 2 © Berwin Leighton Paisner

EU Membership

www.blplaw.com Page 3 © Berwin Leighton Paisner 2010

The EU – Member States - 28

Austria Belgium Bulgaria

Croatia Czech Republic Cyprus

Denmark Estonia Finland

France Germany Greece

Hungary Ireland Italy

Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg

Malta Netherlands Poland

Portugal Romania Slovakia

Slovenia Spain Sweden

And last but not least, ….. United Kingdom

The EEA

• 28 Member States plus:• Norway• Iceland• Liechtenstein

• EEA Agreement

• Note position of Switzerland – part of EFTA but not EEA


EU institutions and bodies


The EU institutions - Overview

• European Commission

• European Parliament

• European Council

• Council of Ministers/Council of the EU

• Court of Justice

• Court of Auditors

• European Central Bank

• Other bodies:• Economic & Social Committee• Committee of the Regions• European Ombudsman


The European Commission

• Executive arm of the EU

• Main roles:• Proposing legislation• Managing existing EU policies• Guardian of the Treaties• Delegated legislation (“comitology”)

• Structure:• 28 Commissioners, headed by President• 7 Vice-Presidents, including the Representative of

the Union for Foreign Policy and Security Policy• A First Vice-President


New Commission structure


New faces…


Commission President: Jean-Claude Junker

High Representative: Federica Mogherini

UK Commissioner: Jonathan HillFinancial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union Competition

Commissioner: Margrethe Vestager

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&docid=pmO4nhutAHEEIM&tbnid=kiz56hbcXIYgnM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FJonathan_Hill%2C_Baron_Hill_of_Oareford&ei=eVgEVMvzFMXa0QXR7oDYAg&bvm=bv.74115972,d.d2k&psig=AFQjCNFkaaS1RDl7PhENVYLoqSvfv8_gAA&ust=1409657312553223



The European Parliament

• Co-legislator on most policy areas

• Based in Brussels, Strasbourg & Luxembourg

• Committee & plenary structure

• Some “celebrated” members and alumni


NickNige

European Council

• Political rather than legislative body

• Made up of:• Heads of State• President of the European Commission• Permanent President


Donald Tusk

Council of Ministers

• Just call me…• Council of Ministers or…• Council of the EU or…• Council

• Representatives of Member State governments

• Different formations

• COREPER – I and II

• Rotating presidency – work in trios - UK in July 2017


Court of Justice of the EU

• Role = to ensure observance of EU law

• Court of Justice• 28 judges• 9 advocates-general

• General Court• 28 judges• No advocates-general

• Civil Service Tribunal

• Based in Luxembourg

• Case references: ECJ = C-xxx/xx, General Court = T-xxx/xx


Other institutions and bodies

• Other EU institutions• Court of Auditors• European Central Bank

• Other bodies:• Economic & Social Committee• Committee of the Regions• European Ombuds(wo)man


EU law – a refresher


EU law - Overview

• Sources of law• Treaties• Secondary legislation

• Substantive law• Supremacy• Direct effect• State liability

• General principles of EU law

• Interpretation of EU law


Sources of law – the Treaties

• Rome 1957 • Now the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU

(TFEU)

• Maastricht 1992• Now the Treaty on European Union (TEU)

• Amsterdam 1997

• Nice 2001

• Constitution 2004 (not ratified)

• Lisbon 2009


Sources of law – secondary legislation

• Regulations

• Directives

• Decisions

• Soft law

• Case law


Substantive law - Supremacy

• EC law v national law

• Rule established in Costa v ENEL

• National courts must set aside conflicting national law, even if it was adopted prior to the EU rule (Simmenthal)

Substantive law - Direct effect

• Conditions for direct effect:• Clear / unambiguous• Unconditional / no implementation required• Creates rights for individuals

• Treaty provisions, Regulations & Decisions

• Directives:• Vertical direct effect • Horizontal direct effect

Substantive law - State liability

• Member States must make good the damage they cause individuals by breaches of EU law

• Francovich

• Conditions:• Rule of law intended to confer rights on

individuals• “Sufficiently serious” breach• Causal link

General principles of EU law

• Proportionality

• Subsidiarity

• Legal certainty

• Non-discrimination

• Fundamental rights• Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European

Union

Interpretation of EU law

• Contextual approach

• Purposive approach• Subjective• Objective

• Language versions

Procedural aspects


Procedural aspects - Overview

• EU legislative procedures

• Infringement procedures / complaints

• Court actions• Preliminary references• Direct actions• Actions for damages


EU legislative procedures

• Importance of legal basis• Ordinary legislative procedure • Consultation procedure• Consent procedure

• Consultation of national parliaments

• Legislative initiative• Commission• Parliament• Citizens’ Initiative

• Comitology


Infringement procedures / complaints

• Action against Member State

• Complaints• Who can make them?• Subject-matter?

• Infringement procedures• Initial inquiries & correspondence (informal)• Letter of formal notice• Reasoned opinion• Court action (ECJ)• Periodic penalties


Court actions

• Preliminary reference (Article 267 TFEU)• Questions from national courts / tribunals• Interpretation & validity of EU law

• Direct actions (Article 263 TFEU)• Usually General Court• Locus standi issues

• Actions for damages (Article 268 TFEU)• Conditions


The future


In, Out, Shake it all about….

• Legal mechanism

• Exit options• EEA member (like Norway)• EFTA but not EEA (like Switzerland)• Bilateral agreements• WTO-only relationship


It’s that man again…

Key questions for businesses to consider

• What will be the effect on existing laws?

• Will it lead to less red tape / regulation?

• How will it affect existing contracts?

• Will there be no more competition law?

• Will it affect our travel rights?


An introduction to EU law and institutionsChris Bryant

This document provides a general summary only and is not intended to be comprehensive. Specific legal advice should always be sought in relation to the particular facts of a given situation.

Documents

An introduction to EU law and institutions Chris Bryant September 2015