European Union Law and EU Integration of North Macedonia
This domain tests EU law as a legal order and North Macedonia's accession process. You need the sources of EU law, core doctrines, and the institutional steps from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement to membership.
Core rules
- EU primary law includes the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU; secondary law includes regulations, directives, and decisions.
- Regulations are directly applicable. Directives bind member states as to result and require transposition; they generally lack horizontal direct effect.
- The Court of Justice of the EU developed supremacy, direct effect, indirect effect, and state liability.
- The Copenhagen criteria cover political democracy and rule of law, economic market capacity, and ability to assume membership obligations.
- North Macedonia signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement, became a candidate, and opened accession negotiations in 2022; NATO membership followed in 2020.
- Negotiation chapters are screened and benchmarked; alignment with the acquis is monitored, not assumed.
Worked example
A national court must apply a national law that conflicts with a clear, unconditional SAA provision. The judge first interprets national law consistently with the SAA. If impossible, the provision may have direct effect if it is clear, precise, and unconditional. The SAA is not the same as full EU membership, so not every provision is directly effective.
Traps
Do not say directives are directly applicable; they are binding as to result. Do not confuse candidate status with membership. Do not treat the acquis as only regulations; it includes treaties, case law, and administrative practice.