How the EU works

Europe

EU facts behind the claims: regulation and the single market

By UK in a Changing Europe Fellows and Full Fact team • 4 mins

In partnership with experts at the UK in a Changing Europe project, we've taken a look at the facts behind the claims on the cost of EU regulation. Read

Europe

EU facts behind the claims: democracy

By UK in a Changing Europe Fellows and Full Fact team • 5 mins

In partnership with experts at the UK in a Changing Europe project, we've taken a look at the facts behind the claims on how democratic the EU is. Read

Europe

EU facts behind the claims: 'Brussels bureaucrats'

By UK in a Changing Europe Fellows and Full Fact team • 4 mins

In partnership with experts at the UK in a Changing Europe project, we've taken a look at the facts behind the claims on the European Commission. Read

Europe

How the EU works: the EU’s powers

By Derrick Wyatt KC, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Oxford • 4 mins

We asked leading expert Professor Derrick Wyatt QC to explain the powers that the EU has, and the limits on those powers. Read

Europe

Explaining the EU deal: is it legally binding?

By Steve Peers, Professor of EU Law and Human Rights Law, University of Essex • 6 mins

There's been heated argument about whether the Prime Minister's EU deal is legally binding. We asked EU law expert Professor Steve Peers to take a look. Read

Europe

Explaining the EU deal: an "ever closer union"

By Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, Anniversary Chair in Law, Queen Mary University of London • 4 mins

The EU deal says that the UK should no longer have to commit to an "ever closer union". Professor Sionaidh Douglas-Scott shows why this has no legal effect. Read

Europe

Explaining the EU deal: the UK and the eurozone

By Paul Craig, Professor in English Law, University of Oxford • 4 mins

The EU deal tries to reassure non-euro countries like the UK that they won’t be ganged up on by eurozone countries. Professor Paul Craig asks why. Read

Europe

A new EU border agency, or an EU army?

By Conor James McKinney • 4 mins

Newspaper reports describe a proposed new European Border and Coast Agency as an EU "army" or "navy". We've taken a look. Read

Europe

Not everything European is the EU

By Conor James McKinney • 1 min

A recent headline described the Council of Europe as an "EU body", but this is a separate organisation to the European Union. Read

Europe

Is Grexit legal?

By Conor James McKinney • 2 mins

EU members can leave the Union voluntarily, but there's no legal mechanism for a country to drop or be ejected from the euro. Grexit may well happen anyway. Read