In the article, the author analyzes the legislative power of the conference of bishops in the area of issuing the general legislative and executive decrees. The legislator states that the conference of bishops can only issue general decrees in cases where universal law has prescribed it or a special mandate of the Apostolic See has established it either motu proprio or at the request of the conference itself (can. 455 § 1). In cases in which neither universal law nor a special mandate of the Apostolic See has granted the power mentioned in §1 to a conference of bishops, the competence of each diocesan bishop remains intact, nor is a conference or its president able to act in the name of all the bishops unless each and every bishop has given consent (can. 455 § 4).