01 / Reading Guide
Reading Guide
Who this book is for
For students beginning European Union law and readers who need a coherent legal map of the Union. Borchardt explains the system before specialized case analysis, making the book useful alongside the treaties or a more detailed textbook. Its EU focus should be kept distinct from the European Convention on Human Rights and the wider Council of Europe.
Prerequisites
No earlier EU-law course is required. Basic familiarity with constitutions and legislation helps. Learn the names of the main institutions before trying to follow the different legislative and judicial procedures.
What it covers
The book follows European integration, foundational values, institutional arrangements, competences and the sources of EU law. It explains how legal acts are made, how judicial protection operates and how the Union’s legal order relates to national systems. A glossary, timeline and cited cases support orientation. The March 2023 text also accounts for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal.
How to use it
Draw an institution map showing who proposes, adopts, implements and reviews a legal act. Compare a regulation with a directive using a concrete example, then locate the treaty provision behind the explanation. Trace one procedure from beginning to end without collapsing its stages. When reading about primacy or direct application, distinguish the general principle from the conditions governing a particular legal instrument.
Edition and sources
The Publications Office identifies the 2023 edition by Klaus-Dieter Borchardt and provides the complete official web text. The selected print ISBN is 9789276101185; digital formats have different identifiers. EU original material carries CC BY 4.0 with stated exceptions. Use current sources for changes after the edition’s legal cutoff. Publisher or author record. Official full text.
