European Community law is a body of treaties and legislation, such as Regulations and Directives, which have direct effect or indirect effect on the laws of European Community member states. The three sources of European Community law are primary law, secondary law and supplementary law. The main sources of primary law are the Treaties establishing the European Community . Secondary sources include regulations and directives which are based on the Treaties. The legislature of the European Community is principally composed of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Community , which under the Treaties may establish secondary law to pursue the objective set out in the Treaties.
European Community law is applied by the courts of member states and the Court of Justice of the European Community . Where the laws of member states provide for lesser rights European Community law can be enforced by the courts of member states. In case of European Union law which should have been transposed into the laws of member states, such as Directives, the European Commission can take proceedings against the member state under theTreaty on the Functioning of the European Community . The European Court of Justice is the highest court able to interpret European Community law. Supplementary sources of European Community law include case law by the Court of Justice, international lawand general principles of European Community law.