transposition (law)
{{Short description|Practice of implementing EU rules via national measures}}
In European Union law, transposition is a process by which the European Union's member states give force to a directive by passing appropriate implementation measures.{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/better-regulation-guidelines.pdf |title=Better Regulation Glossary |publisher=European Commission |accessdate=2019-10-12}} Transposition is typically done by either primary legislation or secondary legislation.
The European Commission closely monitors that transposition is timely, correctly done and implemented, so as to attain the results intended.{{cite web|url=http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/community_law_application_en.htm |title=EUROPA - Glossary - Monitoring the application of Community law |accessdate=2009-01-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116092651/http://europa.eu/scadplus/glossary/community_law_application_en.htm |archivedate=2009-01-16 }} Incorrect transposition may be the result of non acting (leaving aside certain provisions), diverging (other scope, definition or requirement), "gold-plating" (exceeding the requirements of the directive), "double-banking" (overlapping between existing national laws and the transposed directive), or "regulatory creep" (overzealous enforcement or a state of uncertainty in the status of the regulation).{{cite book|last=Renda|first=Andrea|title=Policy-Making in the EU: Achievements, Challenges and Proposals for Reform|year=2009|publisher=CEPS|isbn=978-9290798859|page=76}}
The European Commission may bring a case in the European Court of Justice against states which have not transposed directives adequately.{{cite web|title=Infringements of EU law|url=http://ec.europa.eu/eu_law/infringements/infringements_en.htm|publisher=European Commission|accessdate=29 September 2013}} Additionally, any individual or business in a Member State may lodge a complaint with the Commission about the incorrect or delayed transposition of an EU directive or "for any measure (law, regulation or administrative action) or practice attributable to a Member State which they consider incompatible with a provision or a principle of EU law".{{cite web|title=Exercise your rights|url=http://ec.europa.eu/eu_law/your_rights/your_rights_en.htm|publisher=European Commission|accessdate=29 September 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004095048/http://ec.europa.eu/eu_law/your_rights/your_rights_en.htm|archivedate=4 October 2013}}
The Commission publishes an annual report summarising how EU law has been transposed, with statistics on the numbers and types of infringements, per country and sector.{{cite web|title=Annual reports on monitoring the application of EU law|url=https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/annual-reports-monitoring-application-eu-law_en|publisher=European Commission|accessdate=6 December 2018}}