Following the study of this chapter, you should be in a position to comprehend the following:

• the meaning and nature of law;
• the classifications of law;
• the ways in which the law operates;

As can be seen from this chapter, Laws are a fundamental set of rules that govern the way we live and how we live. Without having a legal system in place, the world would be in a disaster. Laws have been integrated into humans since the beginning of time, and they simply have organised the way we live. Legislation and implemented laws and regulations are not there as strict rules only, but they also protect our rights as citizen or even humans. The essentiality of having laws in place is not one that can be defined in words. Look around you and you can see how laws have shaped the way we live.

All European Union countries have rules; points that citizens and foreigners need to obey. It is a general statement all over the EU that each country is going to have rules, normally conceived inside a certain book or document, which need to be followed, otherwise the person would be acting “illegally” and would suffer negative consequences, from fines to jail time. However, what are all these rules? And more importantly, where can they be found?

These rules are a simple, not very adequate way of referring to the laws of a country. And these laws are normally registered inside the legal system, which is the legal regimen of a country, in which laws are included but also interpreted; this means, the legal system is the place where anyone can look up the rules of a country, how those rules work and should be followed, and what would happen if a person did not comply with them.

In the first chapter of the BRIGHT@EU modules, it will be possible to obtain a general vision of the legal system of each of the countries conforming the partnership. It will also serve as base for the future chapters.

Let’s begin!