The legal system of the European Union (EU) is based on the principle of supranationality, meaning that EU law takes precedence over national law. The EU has its own legal framework, which is composed of treaties, regulations, directives, and case law.
The primary source of EU law is the treaties, which set out the objectives, principles, and institutional framework of the EU. Regulations are directly applicable in all EU member states, while directives set out specific goals that must be achieved by member states through their own legal frameworks. Case law from the Court of Justice of the European Union ensures the uniform interpretation and application of EU law.
The EU legal system has its own institutions responsible for enforcing and interpreting EU law. The European Commission is responsible for proposing new legislation and ensuring its implementation. The European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Council are involved in the legislative process and are responsible for adopting EU laws. The Court of Justice of the European Union is the highest court and ensures the uniform interpretation and application of EU law.
Individuals and companies can also rely on EU law to protect their rights and freedoms. They can bring cases before national courts, which can refer questions of EU law to the Court of Justice of the European Union for a preliminary ruling.
The European Parliament
The European Council
The Council of the European Union
The European Commission
The Court of Justice of the European Union
The European Central Bank
The Court of Auditors
To look for law reports in FIND@HKUL, you may search with their titles with “Books+” search scope.
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The Court of Justice of the European Union (CURIA)
CURIA is the official website for the EU Court of Justice. Here, you can find access to reports of cases from 2012 up to the present, with monthly case digests, fact sheets and annotation of judgments.
This platform is the official access to all cases issued by European Union’s courts in full-text, starting from 1954 and onwards. Here, you can find cases brought by EU institutions and its Member States; cases against the EU; disputes between EU and its staff; Opinions of the Advocates General and Court of Justice on draft agreement between The EU and its Member States or international organisations.
The Parliament holds an important role in political debates and decision-making at the EU level. The Multimedia Centre offers more than 700 footages and recordings of work done by the organization, with constant livestreaming of debates and discussion of different Committees. Historical documents from 1952-1979 are also archived and accessible, where you can trace parliamentary activities from the ECSC Common Assembly to the European Parliament. Please note that majority of the contents are reported in French, German and Dutch.
The major role of European Commission is to enact EU’s policies. Here, you can find concrete information on EU law and how implementations are done. Simply access by Home > Law.
British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII)
Supporting the free access of legal information, BAILII offers selective materials on European Case Law. Here, you can find cases issued under the Court of Justice from 1954 until now.