supranational

Supranational describes a system or authority in which member states transfer some of their sovereignty to an international organization whose rules apply across borders and can be binding on the states themselves. In a supranational arrangement, decisions can take effect even over national preferences, typically through independent institutions that operate with authority above any single member government.

The European Union is the primary contemporary example. Its supranational institutions, such as the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Court of Justice, can adopt regulations and issue rulings that member states must apply. EU regulations have direct applicability, while directives set targets that states must achieve through national laws. The overarching legal framework is established by treaties and interpreted by the court, with some policy areas yielding to majority decision-making among member states, and others offering direct enforcement mechanisms.

Other regional groupings exhibit supranational features to varying degrees, but rarely to the extent of the EU. The term is also used in discussions of monetary unions (where a central bank manages policy across participants) or international regulatory regimes, where rules are implemented by a centralized body rather than solely by national governments. The concept raises questions about democratic legitimacy and sovereignty, as consent to delegated authority is essential to its functioning.