Title III

General decrees, by which common prescriptions are issued by a competent legislator for a community capable of receiving a law, are laws properly speaking and are governed by the prescriptions of the canons on laws.

Persons who possess only executive power are not able to issue the general decree mentioned in can. 29, unless (nisi) in particular cases such power has expressly been granted to them by a competent legislator in accord with the norm of law and the conditions stated in the act of the grant have been observed.

§ 1.

General executory decrees determine more precisely the methods to be observed in applying the law or themselves urge the observance of laws. Persons who possess executive power are able to issue such decrees within the limits of their competency.

§ 2.

The prescriptions of can. 8 should be observed concerning the promulgation of the decrees mentioned in § 1 and concerning the period of time to elapse before they become effective.

General executory decrees oblige those who are bound by the laws whose methods of application such decrees determine or whose observance they urge.

§ 1.

General executory decrees, even if they are published in directories or in documents having some other title, do not derogate from laws, and the prescriptions of such decrees which are contrary to laws lack all force.

§ 2.

Such decrees cease to have force through explicit or implicit revocation by competent authority as well as through cessation of the law for whose execution they were given, but they do not cease to have force with the termination of the authority of the one issuing them unless (nisi) the contrary has been expressly provided.

§ 1.

Instructions which clarify the prescriptions of laws and elaborate on and determine an approach to be followed in implementing them, are given for the use of those persons who concern it is to see that the laws are implemented and oblige such persons in the execution of the laws. Persons who possess executive power legitimately issue such instructions within the limits of their competency.

§ 2.

Regulations found in instructions do not derogate from laws, and if any of them cannot be reconciled with the prescriptions of laws, they lack all force.

§ 3.

Instructions cease to have force not only through their explicit or implicit revocation by the competent authority who issued them or by the same authority's superior but also through the cessation of the law for whose clarification of implementation they were given.