EU law articles

Article 4(3) TEU

Principle of sincere cooperation (loyal cooperation). Member States and the EU must assist each other in carrying out Treaty obligations.

Article 5 TEU

Principle of conferral. The EU may act only within the competences conferred on it by the Treaties.

Subsidiarity (Article 5 TEU)

The EU should act only if Member States cannot sufficiently achieve the objectives.

Proportionality (Article 5 TEU)

EU action must not exceed what is necessary to achieve Treaty objectives.

Article 14 TEU

European Parliament. Represents EU citizens and exercises legislative

Article 15 TEU

European Council. Defines the EU's political direction and priorities and does not legislate.

Article 16 TEU

Council of the European Union. Represents Member States and shares legislative and budgetary powers with Parliament.

Article 17 TEU

European Commission. Has the right of legislative initiative

Article 19 TEU

Court of Justice of the European Union. Ensures that EU law is interpreted and applied uniformly.

Article 2 TFEU

Defines the categories of EU competences.

Article 3 TFEU

Exclusive competences. Examples include customs union

Article 4 TFEU

Shared competences. Examples include the internal market

Article 5 TFEU

fundemental limits of eu powers principles, conferral subsidiairty proportionality

Article 6 TFEU

Supporting competences. Examples include education

Article 26 TFEU

Establishes the internal market as an area without internal frontiers where goods

Article 34 TFEU

Prohibits quantitative restrictions on imports and measures having equivalent effect between Member States.

Article 35 TFEU

Prohibits quantitative restrictions on exports and measures having equivalent effect.

Article 36 TFEU

Allows justified restrictions on free movement of goods based on public morality

Article 45 TFEU

Guarantees the free movement of workers and prohibits discrimination based on nationality regarding employment

Article 258 TFEU

European Commission infringement proceedings against a Member State.

Article 259 TFEU

One Member State may bring infringement proceedings against another Member State.

Article 260 TFEU

Allows the Court to impose financial penalties if a Member State fails to comply with a judgment.

Article 263 TFEU

Action for annulment. The CJEU reviews the legality of EU acts.

Privileged applicants (Article 263 TFEU)

Member States

Non-privileged applicants (Article 263 TFEU)

Individuals and companies must satisfy the standing requirements

Article 265 TFEU

Action for failure to act when an EU institution unlawfully fails to act.

Article 267 TFEU

Preliminary ruling procedure. National courts may or must refer questions on the interpretation or validity of EU law to the CJEU.

Article 288 TFEU

Defines regulations

Regulation (Article 288 TFEU)

Binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Directive (Article 288 TFEU)

Binding as to the result to be achieved but leaves Member States the choice of form and methods.

Decision (Article 288 TFEU)

Binding only on those to whom it is addressed.

Recommendation (Article 288 TFEU)

Not legally binding.

Opinion (Article 288 TFEU)

Not legally binding.

Article 289 TFEU

Defines ordinary and special legislative procedures.

Article 294 TFEU

Sets out the Ordinary Legislative Procedure (co-decision).

Article 20 TFEU

Establishes Union citizenship for every national of a Member State.

Article 21 TFEU

Gives every EU citizen the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States.

Article 6 TEU

Gives the Charter of Fundamental Rights the same legal value as the Treaties and recognises fundamental rights as general principles of EU law.