How EU Directives Become National Law
The difference between regulations, directives, and how transposition works.
Regulations vs directives
EU regulations apply directly in all member states as soon as they enter into force. No national action is needed. EU directives set goals that member states must achieve, but each country chooses how to implement them in national law. This process is called transposition.
What is transposition?
When the EU adopts a directive, each member state must pass national legislation to implement it. The directive sets a deadline (usually 2 years). Each country can adapt the rules to its legal system, but must achieve the directive's objectives.
What happens if a country does not transpose?
If a member state fails to transpose a directive by the deadline, the Commission can start infringement proceedings. This can lead to a case at the Court of Justice and ultimately to financial penalties.
Other types of EU acts
Besides regulations and directives, the EU also adopts decisions (binding on those they are addressed to), recommendations (non-binding guidance), and opinions (non-binding views of an institution).