How does an EU directive differ from a regulation?

An EU directive is a legislative act that sets out certain goals or outcomes that member states must achieve, but it allows those states the flexibility to determine how they will accomplish those results. This means that while the directive establishes the intended objectives, each member country can decide the best methods to implement the directive based on their national context, legal systems, or administrative structures. This flexibility can lead to divergences in how the directives are transposed into national law, which can vary significantly between member states.

In contrast, regulations are directly applicable and binding in their entirety across all member states without the need for national legislation to implement them. They do not allow for the same level of national discretion that directives do. This distinction is crucial for understanding the different roles these legislative instruments play in EU governance.