European Union Documents Online

Advanced Legal Research

Kincaid C. Brown

University of Michigan Law Library

EU Resources

EU Electronic Resources List
Researching the Law of the European Union (Research Guide) (pdf)
Researching the Law of the European Union: How to Find Books, Journal Articles, and Essays in Collections (pdf)
Guide to Researching the European Union (Powerpoint Presentation)

Primary Legislation: Treaties

Generally treaties are pubished in the Official Journal of the European Communities, C Series (Information & Notices)

Search the Official Journal (OJ) by citation or year.
Search OJ by keyword or browse by subject (classification) in Eur-Lex.

Treaties Continued

Browse access to the founding, accession and other major EU treaties in Eur-Lex
Background information, explanation and links to the treaties in Eur-Lex via Europa
Lexis: EUROPE; TREATY (1972-)
Westlaw: EU-Treaties (1951-)

Secondary Legislation

There are five types:

Regulations: Laws adopted by Council of Ministers upon a proposal by the Commission, binding on all member states
Directives: Laws adopted by Council of Ministers upon a proposal by the Commission, binding on member states but require national implementing legislation
Decisions: Laws issued by Commission or Council of Ministers, binding to whom decisions are addressed (e.g. member states, corporations)

Note: The Commission acts as the "government" or executive in the parliamentary system by initiating legislation and submitting proposals to the Council of Ministers.
Note 2: The Council of Ministers is comprised of members of the national governments. The Council acts on Commission proposals and is the final legislative authority.

Secondary Legislation Continued

Recommendations: Adopted by Commission or Council of Ministers, not binding
Opinions: Issued by Commission, Council of Ministers, or European Parliament committees, not binding but indicate policy

Note: The European Parliament is composed of representatives elected by the populations of the Member States. Committees review proposed legislation and draft reports and opinions for consideration by the larger Parliament.

Secondary Legislation Continued

Published in OJ, L Series (Legislation) for enacted legislation, and C Series (Information & Notices) for proposed and draft legislation, communications, and announcements

Search the Official Journal (OJ) by citation or year.
Search legislation in Eur-Lex by term or browse by keyword.
You can also browse legislation by classification heading or assigned keyword to find legislation by topic.
Directory of European Union Legislation in Force: enacted legislation organized by subject; updated monthly.

Secondary Legislation Continued

Lexis: EURCOM; LEGIS (1952-)
Westlaw: EU-LEG (1952-), EU-OJCSERIES (1990-)

Proposed Legislation: Com Docs

Commission Documents (can also be broad policy documents or reports on policy implementation)

Commission Documents: 1999-
Some Com Docs are in the OJ, C Series: search by term, document number, keyword or search by OJ citation or year
European Parliament Legislative Observatory: lists Com Docs received by the Parliament and the status of legislation

Note: The Commission is independent of the national governments and acts as an executive branch for the EU. It's job is to represent the interests of the EU as a whole.

Commission Documents Continued

Pre-Lex: tracks Commission proposals through legislative process and communications with other EU bodies

Proposed Leg'n: Parliamentary Docs

EU Parliament Web Site: includes news and information about the Parliament's activities.
The Register of Documents includes documents, opinions, and reports (can also be browsed and searched on Parliament website via the top navigation for Activities > Committees).
The Archive contains Parliament material for 1952-1999.

The EU Parliament is comprised of representatives elected by the people of the individual member nations.

Parliamentary Docs Continued

Questions from the Parliament addressed to the Commission and Council of Ministers are available in Eur-Lex once they are included in the OJ.
Parliamentary questions (questions asked by Parliament to the Council or Commission) and answers: Lexis (EURCOM; PARLQ) for 1963- and Westlaw (EU-Questions) for 1992 -.

Proposed Legislation: Other Docs

Council of Ministers Documents: includes proposals, positions, and minutes
Positions also in the OJ, C Series
Economic & Social Committee: opinions and documents.
Opinions also in the OJ, C Series

Proposed Legislation

You can also search proposed legislation and preparatory documents together in:

Eur-Lex
Westlaw: EU-ACTS (coverage varies by source)
Lexis: EURCOM; PREP (full-text beginning in 1979)
Or, browse by subject in Directory of European Union Legislation in Preparation; updated monthly

National Implementation Legislation

Legislation passed by the legislatures of EU member states to meet the mandates of EU Directives. Also known as "National Execution Measures."

Eur-Lex: the "bibliographic notice" for each directive links to the list of national implementation legislation
Search directly for directive and national execution measures by number using these instructions
Lexis: EURCOM; NATPRV (1964-)
Westlaw: EU-LEG (1952-)

Caselaw

European Court of Justice and Court of First Instance

Courts web site: access via case number (cases prior to 1997 link to Eur-Lex) or search (1997-).
Eur-Lex: access via case number or date lists, or via a search.
You can also browse cases by subject matter or use the digest to find cases by topic.

The Court of First Instance was created to help with the caseload of the ECJ. It hears cases brought by individuals, companies, and member states on specific subject as well as cases dealing with competition law.

Caselaw Continued

Lexis: EURCOM; ECJ (1954-)
Westlaw: EU-CS (1954-)

Note: The European Court of Human Rights is not an EU body.

Lexis & Westlaw Note

You have the ability to search all EU materials together in the EURCOM; ECLAW (Lexis) or EU-ALL (Westlaw) databases (but coverage varies by source)

March 31, 2011