hi sharann,

Although Europe is moving in the direction of harmonisation of laws in areas which fall within the competences of the EU, yet unification in other areas still remains within the competence of the single memberstates. The EU largely has competence to legislate in areas which relate to free movement of persons , services and goods, to competition law, consumer law etc. Other areas, particularly constitutional law and civil law remain within the competence of single member states.

The EU can legislate through : treaties, directives, regulations, which constitute different sources of law. Only treaties are primary sources of law - and its articles must be observed by all memberstates word for word. Directives on the otherhand only lay down the objective and result to be reached- therefore its up to different memberstates to choose the means to regulate the matter to achieve the objective required. This means that even when the EU legislates, one has to look at the mode in which it does so- directives still allow the membersttaes to have their individual laws which may differ provided the objective envisaged is reached.

This means that the process of legal unification allows diversity.