You are confusing EU regulations and EU directives. One is automatically binding. Read these two pages. They are fairly clear, contain references to primary so

You are confusing EU regulations and EU directives. One is automatically binding. Read these two pages. They are fairly clear, contain references to primary sources, and disagree with your claims: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-making-process/types-eu-law_en https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-making-process/types-eu-la... https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM%3Al14522 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM... Article 288 Treaty on Functioning of the EU (ex Article 249 TEC) To exercise the Union's competences, the institutions shall adopt regulations, directives, decisions, recommendations and opinions. A regulation shall have general application. It shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. [...]