How is a law made in the EU?

The European Commission can suggest a new EU law. The parliamentary representatives and country representatives decide on all the laws.

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Blick in den Plenarsaal des Europaparlaments bei der konstituierenden Sitzung am 02.07.2014 in Straßburg. Die Reihen sind schwach besetzt.
The European Parliament co-decides on the European laws. The picture shows the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. (picture alliance / dpa / Ulrich Baumgarten)
The Parliament and Council then discuss the text of the new rule. The text is changed until everyone is happy with it. If there is no consensus then the new law cannot be introduced.
When a new law is decided on, every individual state in the EU must adapt their own laws accordingly. In Germany, for example, the German parliament takes the new EU law and makes it law in Germany. The German parliament gets a certain amount of time to make the law. A year, for example.

Translation: Cai Nebe.