Jargon jungle

Europe and its councils

Europe is home to three major councils with very important functions: the European Council, the Council of the European Union and the Council of Europe. While their names sound similar, their roles are very different. Find out more about each of these councils and how to distinguish them from one another in this podcast.

The Court of Justice of the European Union

What is the Court of Justice of the EU, and why does it matter to your daily life? In this episode, we explore how the CJEU ensures that EU law is applied fairly and equally across all Member States — from landmark rulings to its role in defending citizens’ rights.

The EU’s less widely spoken official languages

Irish, Maltese, Estonian, Latvian, Slovenian, and Lithuanian are the official EU languages spoken by fewer than six million people each. Yet, true to its motto, ‘United in Diversity’, the European Union is committed to helping these languages thrive. From education programmes to cultural initiatives, the EU has many innovative tools up its sleeve to support and celebrate its less spoken languages.

Presidency of the Council of the European Union. How does it work?

The Presidency of the Council of the European Union rotates among the EU Member States every six months. Therefore, each country takes a turn leading the Council and shaping the EU’s agenda for that period. But what does holding the presidency mean and why does it rotate?

What is a directive?

A directive is a legal act that sets a goal that EU countries must achieve. However, it is up to the individual countries to adapt their own laws in order to reach that goal. In this podcast, we explore what directives are and how they make their way into national law.