No. 27 of 2002 - European Communities (Amendment) Act 2002
What does this Law do:
This law was necessary to amend the European Communities Act1972 so that certain parts of the Treaty of Nice*, which entered into force on 1 February 2003 could form part of the domestic law of the State. A fundamental aspect of Community legislation is that it has direct legal effect in each of the Member States of the European Union. The European Communities Act, 1972, lists the various Treaties and other acts which have direct legal effect in Ireland, and allows for further implementing regulations to be made by Ministers. The Act has been amended to include reference to each successive EU Treaty prior to its ratification.
*The Nice Treaty, which was approved in a referendum on 19 October 2002, made a number of technical and institutional changes to the European Union to prepare for its enlargement ."
Contact Department: Foreign Affairs
Signed by the President on: 05.12.2002