Most EU laws follow the “ordinary legislative procedure”: a shared negotiation between Parliament and the Council, starting from a Commission proposal.
1. Proposal
The European Commission drafts a proposal, often after a public consultation (see “Take Action”).
2. Negotiation
Parliament and the Council each review, amend, and vote on the text — sometimes over several rounds — until they agree on a common version.
3. Adoption
Once both sides agree, the law is formally adopted, published, and given a deadline for member states to apply it.
4. National implementation
A Regulation applies directly in every member state; a Directive sets a goal that each country then writes into its own national law, on its own timeline. See the Glossary for both terms.