Black Letter Law – EU Law
Book 3: Supremacy, Direct Effect & State Liability
This exam-ready short read explains how EU law takes priority, becomes enforceable, and provides remedies when breached. It focuses on the three core doctrines that transform EU law from a treaty system into a constitutional legal order.
 
Written for UK LLB, GDL, and SQE students, this book provides a clear and structured explanation of the supremacy of EU law, showing how national courts must disapply conflicting domestic legislation. It then explains direct effect, including the distinction between vertical and horizontal enforcement and the different treatment of Treaties, regulations, and directives, supported by leading authorities such as Van Gend en Loos, Costa v ENEL, and Marshall.
 
Where direct effect fails, the book explains indirect effect (consistent interpretation) and the circumstances in which individuals may claim damages against a Member State under the Francovich doctrine. The conditions for state liability are broken down into a clear three-stage test, with guidance on “sufficiently serious” breaches and causation.
 
Throughout, complex doctrine is distilled into black-letter rules, supported by flowcharts, decision trees, and summary tables designed to help students structure confident, high-scoring exam answers.
 
Ideal for revision, consolidation, and last-minute exam preparation, this volume is an essential guide to EU law enforcement.
 
Clear. Structured. Exam-ready.
 
A core text for mastering EU legislative power.
This Short Note forms part of the Black Letter Law Series—European Union Law, which comprises the following:
1. Sources of EU Law & the Hierarchy of Norms
2. EU Legislative Competence & Law-Making Powers
3. Supremacy, Direct Effect & State Liability
4. Judicial Enforcement & ARTICLE 267 TFEU
5. General Principles & Fundamental Rights

The Black Letter Law Series also covers other aspects of law, including Contract Law.