The European Union and English Law | AQA A-Level Law (7162)
The European Union and English Law
- 50 questions
- 4 subtopics
- The nature of law and the English legal system, 25 marks on every paper
- Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3
The EU institutions, the supremacy of EU law and direct effect, and what membership meant for the courts of England and Wales..
It covers the Institutions of the European Union, treaties, Regulations and Directives, supremacy and Direct Effect and eU Law, Sovereignty and Preliminary References.
Sample questions from The European Union and English Law
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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The Institutions of the European Union
How are members of the European Parliament selected?
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They are directly elected by EU citizens. -
The Institutions of the European Union
What is the Council of the European Union and who are its members?
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An institution composed of government ministers from each member state who meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. -
Treaties, Regulations and Directives
Define a directive in EU law.
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An EU legislative act that sets out objectives member states must achieve but leaves the choice of form and methods of implementation to national authorities. -
Treaties, Regulations and Directives
Define EU regulations.
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EU regulations are directly applicable in all member states without the need for national implementing legislation, meaning they automatically become part of domestic law upon coming into force. -
Supremacy and Direct Effect
How did direct effect benefit individuals in England and Wales while the UK was bound by EU law?
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It allowed them to rely upon and enforce EU-derived rights directly in national courts without needing additional domestic legislation. -
Supremacy and Direct Effect
Give an example of how EU law has impacted employment law in England and Wales.
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EU law has led to harmonisation of employment law, including areas such as working time regulations and anti-discrimination protections. -
EU Law, Sovereignty and Preliminary References
What is the principle of direct effect in EU law?
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It allows individuals to rely on provisions of EU law before national courts, provided the provisions are clear, precise, unconditional and require no further implementation. -
EU Law, Sovereignty and Preliminary References
Why could Parliament not effectively pass laws that contradicted EU law during EU membership?
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Because EU law had supremacy, meaning any conflicting domestic legislation would have to be disapplied by the courts.
The 4 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| The Institutions of the European Union | Recall questions on the Council of the European Union, the Commission's sole right to propose and its enforcement role, how the European Parliament is elected and what it does, and the Court of Justice. | 15 |
| Treaties, Regulations and Directives | Recall questions on treaties as the primary source of EU law, what makes a regulation directly applicable, how directives are transposed, and why a directive can vary between member states when a regulation cannot. | 13 |
| Supremacy and Direct Effect | Recall questions on the supremacy of EU law, the case that established it, and what direct effect means for a national court. | 13 |
| EU Law, Sovereignty and Preliminary References | Recall questions on the functions of the Court of Justice, direct effect and its four conditions, what a national court must do with conflicting domestic law, EU membership and parliamentary sovereignty, and the preliminary reference procedure. | 9 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Law Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,352 questions with their answers.