Website corresponding to the book:

Legal Research Methods in a Modern World: A Coursebook

European Union Resources

Chapter 9

Direct links to EU material can be found in the special section below: "Finding Law in EU".

Renumbering/equivalences tables of E.U. Treaties (from Appendix 4 in 2nd edition).

Section 9.1.
Section 9.1.2.
Section 9.3.
Section 9.6.
Section 9.6A. Practical Info Research Example
Section 9.7.


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Section 9.1.

A lot of information with direct links can be found below in the special section: "Finding Law in EU".

Click the picture to get to Wikipedia's webpage showing an interactive Euler diagram giving links to various multinational European organisations and nations.

An old (2000) - written before the Lisbon Treaty - "ABC of Community Law" (in PDF) by Dr Klaus-Dieter Borchardt (EU 2000).

Other booklet - also written before the Lisbon Treaty are: "How the European Union Works: Your Guide to the EU Institutions" (European Commission, 2007) & "The European Union: A Guide for Americans" (Delegation of the European Commission to the USA, 2009).

The two main pages on the E.U. website-system that in general give access to the most common information (in English or other language) needed are: (A) An index to most of the institutions in the E.U. Choose link "Institutions and bodies" (under "About the EU"); (B) An index to most of the E.U. sub-webpages that in turn provide access to E.U. documents. Choose link "Publications and documents".

Language tools on the European Union website can be found at "Translation and Drafting Resources".

The E.U. Commission's Audiovisiual Services' website gives, among others things, a link to audiovisual material and EUtube . Keep up with E.U. news with E.U. television news service on the Internet.

The legal order for several Member States of the European Union (English version).

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Section 9.1.2.

The new 2.0 IPEX for Lisbon Treaty was launched 28 June 2011.
Blending sections "Documents", "National Parliaments and the European Parliament","Calendar" and "EU Speaker´s Conference", IPEX is a tool for anyone interested in following the National parliaments at work, exchanging information and effectively applying the provisions of the Treaty of Lisbon.
See further: How to use IPEX and the IPEX Manual.

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Section 9.3.

In the E.U. website-system choose link "Publications and documents" (in English).

The two main E.U.-treaties' versions are published in Official Journal (click blue headings below to get to respective index-websites):

Before Lisbon Lisbon Original After Lisbon  
C321 E, 29.12.2006 p. 5-36 C306, 17.12.2007 p. 10-41 C115, 9.5.2008 p. 13-45 TEU
C321 E, 29.12.2006 p. 37-186 C306, 17.12.2007 p. 42-133 C115, 9.5.2008 p. 47-199 TEC / TFEU
C321 E, 29.12.2006 p. 187-331 C306, 17.12.2007 p. 134-271 C115, 9.5.2008 p. 201-388 Addendums

To compare with previous treaties use: Renumbering/equivalences tables of E.U. Treaties (from Appendix 4 in 2nd edition).

European Commission: Your Guide to the Lisbon Treaty (European Communities, 2009).

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Section 9.6.

"Reader's information" is intended as a documentation tool.

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Section 9.6A. Practical Info Research Example

We made a guide "9.6A. Practical Info Research Example" for where and how to find preparatory information to E.U. legislation.

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Section 9.7.

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--- All EU websites now under domain "europa.eu"

You might find the links below useful as they go direct to detailed E.U. websites – especially if you have a citation and are acquainted with Westlaw/NexisLexis systems:

Preparatory documents at Commission site; at EUR-Lex   Commission documents
Treaties   Consilium documents
EUR-Lex (European Union Law database)   Parliament documents
Official Journal   EUROJUST documents
Supplement S to OJ (in the TED database)   Ombudmands documents
Legislation in force   General Advocate documents
Consolidated Texts   EU Case Law
Institutions Registers   E.U. President documents
Ombudsman Documents   European Council documents
European Court Reports (ECR)   E.U. High Representative documents
Archive of European Integration (AEI - University of Pittsburgh)   Regulations, Directives & Decisions
  Basic Information
  Miscellaneous
  Rules on Civil Judgments and Enforcement between the Member States

Basic Information

EU Glossary.
Reader information for Directory of Community legislation.

To monitor the decisions-making process between the EU institutions use PreLex at .



Summaries of EU legislation can be found through ScadPlus at .





The Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) database contains all active notices published in the Supplement to the Oficial Journal (OJ S) at .



The European Union Law website at gives full text the OJ L and C series, treaties (primary sources), case-law, legislation (preparatory and in force), parliamentary questions and documents of public interest. A CELEX database was closed by the end of 2006 and the information transferred to EUR-lex.

EUR-Lex at allows the following search:

The EUR-lex Guidelines for good results in Search by Official Journal publication reference is as follows:


Official Journal (O.J.)

The Official Journal or gazette (O.J.; seldom OJE), published daily in 23 languages, is divided into the following four parts:

Note: that not all pages exists in the online version of the Official Journal, but only in the hardcover printed volumes. The L and C series were introduced in 1968, before which year there was a single series. Some databases used the letters B or P to distinguish this single series from series L and C. The letters B and P do not form part of the official publication reference.

In EUR-Lex search: To get the annexes to the OJ C series, enter A or E after the OJ number. Example: select the C series, then enter 123A to get an OJ with the reference C 123 A.


Treaties and Re-numbering

The website for E.U. treaties..
Note: When reading texts of the treaties and court judgments, pre and post the Amsterdam Treaty, bear in mind the following (see also "Renumbering/equivalences tables of E.U. Treaties" (from Appendix 4 in book's 2nd edition)):

At book's pages 305-309 are given overview of which previous treaties the two now working treaties consist of. At same pages are given a historic list of main events/treaties.


Regulations, Directives & Decisions


EU Case Law

Publication of European Court decisions (note: European Court Reports (ECR) is the authoritative texts of ECJ opinions and judgments) are amongst other available from:

Caselaw in EUR-Lex:


Caselaw in CVRIA where there exists several types of indexes:


General-Advocates documentations

Opinions from the General-Advocate or alternative search website.


Parliamentary documentation

Parliament Homepage.

Parliament Archive Information

The Parliament's site Archives of the Activities allows the following search:


Commission documentation

The Registers of Commission Documents (only documents produced since 1 January 2001)helps to identify categories of document, related to various activities of the Commission, namely:

This register supplements the PreLex database of interinstitutional procedures, which can be used to search for documents produced by the institutions in drafting Community legislation.


Council of European Union ("Consilium") documentation

The register of the Council of the European Union ("Consilium") has a search screen. The register contains references for documents produced by the Council since 1 January 1999.
See also index-website and an alternative.


European Council documentation

Website for the European Council, which by the Lisbon Treaty has become an officicial institution of the E.U.


The President of the European Council

Information from "The President of the European Council", which is elected for 2 1/2 years and who may not hold a national office. [To be distinguished from the President of the Council of the European Union - and the President of the Council of Europe (an international organization)].
List over other "Presidents"-positions in the European Union is given in book section 9.2.5.


High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, the European Council appointed a "High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy." At the same time ex officio Vice-President of the European Commission, whereby ensuring consistency and coordination of the European Union's external action.
Further explanation here.

The High Representative is assisted by the European External Action Service (EEAS).


EU Ombudsman

Search website for reports, draft recommendations and decisions.


EuroJust

EUROJUST is dealing with serious cross-border and organised crime. See also index.


Miscellaneous


Rules on Civil Judgments and Enforcement between the Member States

Council Regulation No 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (Into force March 1st 2002), Official Journal L 012, 16/01/2001 P. 0001 – 0023.

Joined declaration issued by the European Parliament and Commission at the time the Regulation was passed - Statement on Articles 15 and 73.

Denmark repealed its reservation on the E.U. Regulation 44/2001 after Denmark and the E.U. has made a so-called parallel treaty that makes the rules of the E.U. Regulation 44/2001 of 22/12 2000 to be used between Denmark and the other E.U. Member States, see Council Decision 2005/790/EC of 20 September 2005 on the signing, on behalf of the Community, O.J. L 299, 16/11/2005 p. 0061-069, and the Agreement between the European Community and the Kingdom of Denmark on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, O.J. L 299, 16/11/2005, p. 0062-0070.

The vital reports related to the Brussels Convention, the Lugano Convention and the E.U. Regulation 44/2001 of 22/12 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcements in civil and commercial matters are (they does not appear in the online version of the Official Journal):


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Links on this webpage were last updated on May 18, 2012.

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