Norm hierarchy (Austria)

The following hierarchy of norms prevails in Austrian law :

1. Guiding constitutional principles: Fundamental principles of the constitution, including basic constitutional order
2. Primary Union law: founding treaties of the European Union including appendices, protocols, additions, taking into account later changes
3. Secondary Union law: the law enacted by the organs of the European Union in accordance with the founding treaties (regulations, guidelines and findings of the ECJ)
4. "Simple" federal constitutional law (state constitutional law): All laws of the Austrian federal or state constitutional legislature that do not represent guiding principles
5. Federal law (Land law): Also simple federal law (in relation to the constitutional law); the most important norm in practice
6. Ordinance: Explains or supplements a law (implementing or implementing ordinance)
7. Individual decision

Basically, a distinction is made between general norms, which are binding for all those subject to the law (e.g. the constitutional laws ), and individual norms, which are only binding for a limited group of people (e.g. a decision ).