Snapshot

Ordinary lawmaking, legal acts, delegation, implementation, preliminary rulings and enforcement.

Module status

• •Track: Normal EPSO EU knowledge
• •Last verified: 2026-08-04
• •Scope: Pre-training only. The Notice of Competition has not been published.

Ordinary legislative procedure

The Commission normally submits a proposal. Parliament and Council act as co-legislators. They may adopt at first reading, continue through second reading or use conciliation. A trilogue is an informal interinstitutional negotiation; formal adoption still follows Treaty procedures.

Acts and implementation

A regulation is binding in its entirety and directly applicable. A directive binds Member States as to the result while leaving national authorities the choice of form and methods. A decision is binding in its entirety upon those to whom it is addressed. Recommendations and opinions have no binding force.

A delegated act supplements or amends non-essential elements of a legislative act under Article 290 TFEU. An implementing act supplies uniform conditions for implementation under Article 291 TFEU. Delegation cannot transfer essential elements reserved to the legislature.

Judicial and enforcement context

National courts apply Union law. The preliminary-ruling procedure lets them ask the Court of Justice about interpretation or validity. The Commission may pursue an infringement procedure when it considers a Member State has failed to fulfil Treaty obligations.