Editors' Summary: In this Article, which will be published later this year as part of the Environmental Law Institute's European Community Deskbook, 2nd Edition, the authors familiarize the reader with the intricacies of the European legal system. They begin by describing the anatomy of European Community law — its institutions, procedures, implementation methods, and enforcement mechanisms. Throughout this description, the authors examine environmental legislation and court decisions, thus explaining the European Community's environmental system and revealing the complex relationship between the Community and its member states. From there the authors move to a more detailed explanation of the European Community's power to adopt environmental measures and of the important role the principle of the free movement of goods plays in environmental law making. The authors conclude the Article, which constitutes the first half of the Deskbook's commentary, with a discussion of the extension of the European Community's environmental laws to European Free Trade Area countries and accession countries. The second half of this primer on European Community environmental law will be published in an upcoming edition of ELR's News & Analysis.