The ABC of European Union Law

Contents From Paris tLisbon, Via Rome, Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice Fundamental Values of The European Union The EU as guarantor of peace Unity and equality as the recurring theme The fundamental freedoms The principle of solidarity Respect of national identity The need for security The fundamental rights The Constitution of the European Union The legal nature of the EU The tasks of the EU The powers of the EU The institutions of the EU Institutions: European Parliament, European Council, Council, European Commission, Court of Justice of the Eyropean Union, European Central Bank, Court of Auditors Advisory bodies: European Economic and Social Committee, Committee of the Regions European Investment Bank The legal Orter of the EU The EU as a creation of law and a Coomunity based on law The legal sources of Union law The EU founding Treaties as the primary source of Union law, The EU legal instruments as the secondary source of Union law, International agreements of the EU, General principles of law, Legal custom, Agreements between the Member States The EU's means of action Regulations, Directives, Decisions, Recommendations and opinions, Resolutions, declarations and action programmes The legislative process in the EU Ordinary legislative procedure, Approval procedure, Simplified procedure The EU system of legal protection Treaty infringement proceedings, Actions for annulment, Complaints for failure tact, Actions for damages, Actions by Community staff, Disputes over Union patents, Appeals procedure, Provisional legal protection, Preliminary rulings Liability of the Member States for infringements of Union law Member States liability for legal acts or failure tact, Liability for infringement of Union law by the Courts The Position of Union Law in Relation tthe legal order as as whole Autonomy of the EU legal order Interaction between Union law and national law Conflict between Union law and national law Direct applicability of Union law tnational law, Primacy of Union law over national law, Interpretation of national law in line with Union law