Decision 'sui generis'

This type of legally binding act is no longer used since the Treaty of Lisbon came into force December 2009. The decision 'sui generis' was used when none of the other legal instruments proved suitable or was deemed appropriate, such as appointments, setting up committees and - in strictly legal sense - the budget¹.

It, together with various other legal instruments, was replaced by a new version of the decision².

Area of application

The decision 'sui generis' was used for a wide range of acts. By its nature no generic use can be assessed.

Adopting decisions ' sui generis'

The decision 'sui generis' never featured in the Treaties, but it was deemed a legal instrument in its own right in the European Union.

The decision is obsolete since December first 2009. Unless otherwise stated, existing decisions are still in effect.

• 1. 

  The budget is a special type of decision to establish the annual budget of the European Union. It is a legally binding act. Over the course of a year the budget is amended to adapt and adjust to changing realities and financial breaks and setbacks.
   
• 2. 

  A decision is legally binding act in its entirety. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, a decision is binding for the EU as a whole. Decisions can address specific legal entities, in which case a decision is binding only to them. In its current form the decision was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty that came into force December 2009. It replaces various legal instruments introduced by earlier Treaties.
   
• 3. 

  The European Union has a number of legal instruments to its disposal. These are used to make or coordinate policies, to take measures and initiate programme's, to facilitate the implementation of policies and to issue advice to member states. Legal instruments are divided into two categories, binding and non-binding instruments. Legal instruments specifically in place for implementing EU acts are binding, but have been put in a final, third section.