EUROPEAN UNION DIRECTIVES
The directive is one of the legal instruments available to the European institutions for implementing European Union policies. It is a flexible instrument mainly used as a means to harmonise national laws. It requires EU countries to achieve a certain result but leaves them free to choose how to do so. SUMMARY The directive is one of the legal instruments available to the European institutions for implementing European Union policies. It is a flexible instrument mainly used as a means to harmonise national laws. It requires EU countries to achieve a certain result but leaves them free to choose how to do so. The directive forms part of the EU’s secondary law . It is therefore adopted by the EU institutions in accordance with the founding Treaties . Once adopted at EU level, it is then transposed by EU countries into their internal law for application. For example, the directive on the organisation of working time sets mandatory rest periods and a lim...