Law

Articles 101 and 102 TFEU prohibit anti-competitive agreements and the abuse of a dominant market position. The rules cover conduct such as cartels, price fixing and market sharing.

Article 107 TFEU generally prohibits state support that favours certain companies and distorts competition or trade in the EU, unless an exception applies.

EU environmental policy aims to protect and improve the environment, protect human health, use natural resources carefully and tackle climate change. It follows principles including prevention and “polluter pays”.

EU procurement rules set minimum standards for how public authorities and some utility operators buy works, goods and services. They apply mainly to tenders above set value thresholds, while lower-value tenders still follow EU principles.

EU intellectual-property law includes EU trade marks, registered EU designs and geographical indications for craft and industrial products. Patent protection uses separate European and national systems.

Cross-border civil and commercial matters can raise questions about which court has jurisdiction, which law applies and how judgments are recognised or enforced. The Brussels I Recast and Rome I and II Regulations are key EU instruments in this area.

The EU Charter binds EU institutions and Member States when they implement EU law. The European Convention on Human Rights is a separate Council of Europe treaty, enforced by the European Court of Human Rights.

Training justice professionals in EU law supports consistent application of the law and mutual trust in cross-border proceedings. The European Commission’s current judicial-training strategy runs from 2025 to 2030.

The GDPR sets EU-wide rules protecting individuals' personal data and privacy rights. It applies to organisations processing personal data, covering lawful processing, data subject rights, data security, and accountability requirements.