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European Union Research Guide

Introduction

The European Union (EU) is an supranational organization currently composed of 25 European countries who have decided to cooperate on a number of issues (economic, monetary, security, etc.) and adopt uniform laws. This organization has a long history and its name has changed several times.  Read the brief history of the European Union and the chronology of events.

For more information, see Encyclopedia of the European Union INTL REF KJE926 .E52 2000 and Europe : A concise Encyclopedia of the European Union from Aachen to Zollverein (3rd edition) INTL JN30 .L43 2000.

Be aware of eurojargon. Sometimes you may need to consult a glossary for help with definitions of unfamiliar terminology. See also Eurojargon : A Dictionary of European Union Acronyms, Abbreviations and sobriquets (6th edition) INTL KJE926.5 .R35 2000.

If you have questions on research European Union law, please feel free to contact the Wolff Library reference desk at 202-662-4195 or by email: intlref@law.georgetown.edu. You may also submit your question via this online form.

Where to Start

As with researching any international topic, you may want to start with a research guide.

EU Institutions

A good place to look for information on the Institutions of the EU is at EU Institutions and other bodies.

The Commission has both executive and administrative roles. The Commission is organized into departments, called Directorate Generals, responsible for drafting legislation and overseeing its implementation. In its executive capacity it acts as the "government" in a Parliamentary system by initiating legislation and submitting proposals to the Council of the European Union. The Commission also oversees Member States' implementation of directives, and enforces regulations.

Documents For Commission proposals transmitted to the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament, see 'COM' documents for explanatory memorandum and proposed legislative text; and see C series (OJ) for proposed legislative text only.

The Council of the European Union, representing the Member States, acts on Commission proposals and is the final legislative authority. The Council may request that certain legislation be proposed and may conduct any necessary studies to help achieve Treaties' goals. The Council also has treaty-making power.

Documents Little public dissemination of documents.

The European Parliament is composed of Representatives directly elected by the populations of the Member States. In most cases the Council is required to submit proposed legislation to the European Parliament for comment. The Parliament acts as a forum for debate and questioning of the Council and Commission. The appropriate committee of the Parliament scrutinizes the proposed legislation and a rapporteur is selected to draft a report and opinion for consideration at the plenary meeting.

Documents For first or second reading of Commission proposal, see Reports, which generally consists of three parts: 1) record of Committee's action, 2) explanatory memorandum providing background on issue and reason's for Committee's recommendation, and 3) text of the draft opinion. Minutes of plenary session considering rapporteur's report are printed in the C series (OJ). Debates of the plenary sessions of Parliament are in the Annex of the (OJ).

The Economic and Social Committee, representing industry, labor and consumers, is composed of members appointed by the Member States. During the legislative process, the Council of Ministers may be required to or may decide to seek the opinion of the Committee.

Documents For texts of Economic and Social Committee, see C series (OJ), and Opinions and Reports, Economic and Social Committee.

The European Court of Justice is the highest legal authority in the EC. The Court is empowered to decide cases involving interpretation and application of the Treaties. EU institutions and Member States may appeal and take each other to court for failure to implement or properly apply the Treaties and derived legislation, i.e., the Commission will file a case against a Member State for not implementing a directive. Legal or natural persons may appeal to the Court against a decision addressed to him or any regulation or decision which is of direct concern. The Court will also issue prejudicial decisions in cases referred to it by national courts when questions of Community law are involved. The Court is assisted by advocate-generals, who present a reasoned and independent opinion of the issue of law in the case. In 1989, the Court of First Instance began functioning, hearing disputes between community civil servants and their institutions, actions in the field of competition law, actions under anti-dumping law and actions under the ECSC Treaty.

Documents Text of opinions for both courts officially available in the European Court Reports series (ECR), and unofficially from CCH and other publishers.

Background Information

These treatises will give you an introduction to EU generally. To locate more materials, use keyword searching in the library catalog.

  • Boehardt, ABC of Community Law ( 5th edition) INTL KJE949 .B67 2000
  • Folsom, European Union Law in a Nutshell (6th edition) INTL Reserve KJE949 .F55 2008
  • Encyclopedia of European Union Law (updated regularly) INTL KJE926 .E52 1996
  • Weatherill, Cases and Materials on EU Law (7th edition) Williams KJE945 .W43 2006
  • How the European Union Works : A Citizen's guide to the EU Institutions INTL KJE947 .H69 2003
  • Wyatt and Dashwood's European Union Law (5th edition) INTL KJE947 .W92 2006
  • Mathijsen, A Guide to European Union Law (9th edition) INTL KJE947 .M38 2007
  • Rudden and Wyatt's EU Treaties and Legislation (9th edition) INTL KJE916 .B37 2004
  • Barnard, The Substantive Law of the EU : The Four Freedoms INTL KJE947 .B372 2007
  • Hartley, The Foundations of European Community Law : An Introduction to the Constitutional and Administrative Law of the European Community (6th edition) INTL KJE947 .H37 2007
  • Ward, A Critical Introduction to European Law (2nd edition) INTL KJE947 .W37 2003
  • McCormick, Understanding the European Union : A Concise Introduction (2nd edition) INTL KJE947 .M38 2002
  • Kapteyn, Introduction to Law of European Communities: From Maastricht to Amsterdam, INTL KJE947 .K36 1998
    "The book provides a detailed study of the current state of European Community law, including observations on the outcome of the Amsterdam Treaty. It deals authoritatively with the institutional, procedural and substantive law aspects of Community Law and also covers the historical, political and economic background. Particular attention has been paid to the most recent developments in the movements towards Economic and Monetary Union and the important changes in the social policy provisions adopted in the Treaty of Amsterdam."
  • Anne Ramsay, Eurojargon: A Dictionary of the European Union Acronyms, Abbreviations and Sobriquets, INTL KJE926.5 .R35 2000

Legislation

For a quick overview of Community law, see About EU Law.

There are different types of Community legal instruments. Primary legislation includes the founding (or constitutive) treaties (from the ESCS Treaty of 1957 to the Treaty of Amsterdam [pdf]). A second source of primary law consists of the treaties between Member States and treaties between the EU and third parties. The major source of Community legislation is secondary legislation: regulations, directives, decisions, and opinions of the Court of Justice.

  • Regulations are Community laws adopted by the Council of the European Union upon a proposal from the Commission. Regulations have general effect and are directly applicable in all of the Member States.
  • Directives are Community laws adopted by the Council of the European Union upon a proposal from the Commission. Directives are addressed to the Member States and are binding as to the result - Member States may choose the form and methods of implementation.  The process of implementation is called harmonization.
  • Decisions are Community laws, issued by the Council or Commission, which are binding on those addressed, whether governments, companies or individuals.
  • Opinions are written statements by the Council or Commission and have no binding force. Opinions are an important indication of Council or Commission policy.
  • Recommendations adopted by the Commission are like directives in that they are binding only on the Member States cited and only with respect to the end result.

Treaties

Founding Treaties

Treaties between the EU and Third Parties / Treaties Concluded between EU Member States

Legislative Documents

The Official Journal (OJ)

The Official Journal (OJ), the official gazette of the Community, is published daily.

The OJ is divided into the following series and parts. The L Series contains adopted treaties and legislation, including directives and regulations, adopted by the Commission and Council, and other binding acts. The C Series is the "Information and Notices" section of the OJ containing non-binding decisions and resolutions of the institutions, texts of proposed legislation, Minutes of the Parliament, Commission and Council replies to written questions, opinions of the Economic and Social Committee, and notices of Court decisions.

Law: L & C Series (1974-). L Series INTL KJE 908.L6, C Series INTL KJE 908.I3. The OJ Special Edition, in English INTL KJE 908.O46. The OJ is also available on Lexis [Legal > Global Legal > European Union > Legislation & Regulations > CELEX EU Law Database; Legislation] and Westlaw [EU-OJC database for C Series and EU-LEG database for L Series). The OJ is also available on the EUR-Lex Web site.

Citations - What Do the Numbers Mean?

Official Journal: 1993 OJ L 95/29 1993 = Year 
L95 = Issue in L Series 
29 = page # in Issue L95
Regulations: (EC) 2913/92 EC = Community initials 
2913 = number of regulation numbered consecutively 
92 = year
Other Legal Acts: 93/13 (EC)  93 = year 
13 = number of decision or directive 
EC = Community initials

You must know what type of legal act you have since directives, commission decisions and recommendations can have the same citation. For example, 93/13 (EC) could be a directive or a decision.

Indexes/Directories to the Official Journal

  • Index to the Official Journal of the European Communities Vol. 1 INT KJE908.2 .O49 Alphabetical Index. Issued monthly & cumulated annually; covers EC legislation and lists filed cases and final judgments of the European Court of Justice. Particularly useful with year and subject. Vol. 2: Methodological Table INTL KJE908.2 .O5. Issued monthly & cumulated annually; arranged by document number with regulations listed first, followed by directives and decisions. INTL KJE 908.2.O49 and INTL Media (fiche).
  • Directory of Community Legislation in Force and Other Acts of the Community Institutions
    Produced in June and December, each publication is a cumulation including all binding secondary EC legislation in force from 1952 to the present. Volume I consists of 20 topical chapters with legislation arranged by subject. Volume II is a chronological and alphabetical index of legislation found in Vol. I. Provides quick access to complete history of legislative acts. INTL REF KJE 915.D47 and KJE 915.D47 Fiche.  Also available on the EUR-Lex site in both an analytical and alphabetical index.
  • European Communities Legislation : Current Status
    Two volumes with supplement. Beginning with the entries in the English Special Edition of the OJ covering the years 1952-1973, and then on year by year basis, sets out chronologically the reference number of the legal act with title and OJ cite. Also covers legislation no longer in force. Current briefing service newsletter in separate folder. INTL REF KJE 920.E974
  • Bulletin of the European Union Issued 10 times a year. It reports on the activities of the Commission and the other Community institutions.  Contains a subject index and references to the OJ and other relevant documents. INTL REF KJE 920.E974 Available on the Web from 1996 on.
  • Directory of Community Legislation (EurLex)

Other Legislative Documents

EurLex - Official Journal in Electronic Format

The C and L Series of the OJ are included in EurLex, the official database for documentation of European Community law.

EurLex includes legislation, preparatory documents, case law, parliamentary questions and citations to national provisions which implement EC directives. Full text is generally available for the L Series, but the C Series has only title access to documents. References to relevant databases and files will be made throughout this Guide.

How to Find Directives

These strategies can also be used to find regulations, decisions and other legal acts.

Adopted Directives

  • Print with OJ citation:
    • Look in appropriate OJ issue for the given year.
  • Print with directive number only, check:
  • Print without any citation, but with topic, check:
    • Directory of Community Legislation in Force INTL REF KJE915 .D47.
    • "Topical Index" in European Union Law Reporter INTL KJE6791 .C5 1962.
    • Encyclopedia of European Union Law INTL KJE926 .E52 1996 (Part C "Secondary Legislation" 11 volumes arranged by topics. Under topics, secondary legislation arranged and reprinted chronologically).
  • Lexis or Westlaw
Lexis or Westlaw Sample Query:
If your cite is 1993 OJ L95/29: Lexsee 1993 ojl 95 (Lexis)
If your directive is 93/13 (EC): directive w/5 93/13 (Lexis & Westlaw)
If you have only a topic: use keyword search
  • Westlaw [EU-LEG database]. Covers 1952- Present. Use similar strategies as Lexis.
  • Bulletin of the European Union INTL KJE903 .B84 is another good source for information about directives.
  • Rapid (European Commission Press Releases)
  • EU Press Room
  • SCADPlus is a bibliographical database containing references of more than 250,000 documents divided in 4 sectors: Community legislation; Official publications; Articles from periodicals s; Opinions from the two sides of industry.

Proposed Directives

Proposals for directives are either identified by topic, or if amending an existing directive, by that directive number.

How to Find Case Law

How to Find Citations with Names of Parties or by Topic

  • European Union Law Reporter (CCH) Selected cases 1961 - current, cases by name under "Finding Lists" tab INTL KJE 6791.C5 1962
  • European Community Cases. Selected cases from 1989 - current. Under "Index" tab, cases by name and case number. INTL KJE 6791.C51
  • Index A-Z : Numerical and Alphabetical Index of Cases Before the Court of Justice of the European Communities since 1953. INTL KJE 924.2.I52 1995
  • Gazetteer of European Law : Case Search, European Community Law, 1953-1983 INTL REF KJE 924.3.H85 1983
  • Digest of Case-Law Relating to the European Communities INTL KJE 923.6.D527
  • The Digest : Annotated British, Commonwealth and European Cases INTL KD296 .E525
  • Lexis [Legal > Global Legal > European Union > Case Law]
  • Westlaw [EU-CS-ALL database] English version of ECJ cases from 1954 and Court of First Instance from 1989. Some commercial reporters as well (Common Market Law Reports, European Commercial Cases, for example).

Full Text Opinions

  • Reports of Cases Before the Court. (ECR) Also called European Court Reports. Official case reporter, English edition. Delays of two to three years are common. Court of First Instance decisions from 1990. INTL KJE 924.5.C68
  • European Community Cases (CEC) Selected Court of Justice decisions, Court of First Instance and Commission decisions from 1989. See "Topical Index" in current volume for citation of opinion. INTL KJE 6791.C51
  • European Union Law Reporter Cases for European Court of Justice and national courts. INTL KJE 6791.C5
  • Lexis [Legal > Global Legal > European Union > Case Law]
  • Westlaw [EU-CS-ALL database] English version of ECJ cases from 1954 and Court of First Instance from 1989. Some commercial reporters as well (Common Market Law Reports, European Commercial Cases, for example).
  • Common Market Law Reports Selective cases published in each issue.  INTL KJE925.5 .C85
  • Court of Justice of the European Communities

Periodicals

As with other areas of international law, use periodical indexes for locating relevant legal periodical literature.  Many of the relevant periodical indexes are available on the library's journals page. These indexes include Index to Legal Periodicals and Books, Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals, and Legal Journals Index. Some journals may not be indexed in any of the standard indexes.

Also check the Jean Monnet Table of Contents Service, European Integration Current Contents. This service provides access to the tables of contents of journals relevant in European Integration research - law, human rights, economics, history and political sciences. Currently it covers 104 journals published in nine languages and 14 countries.

Current Awareness

  • Bulletin of the European Union Issued 10 times a year. It reports on the activities of the Commission and the other Community institutions.  Contains a subject index and references to the OJ and other relevant documents. INTL KJE 903.B84 Also available on the Web from 1996 on.
  • Rapid (European Commission Press Releases)
  • EU Press Room
  • EU Focus A bi-monthly newsletter published by the Delegation of the European Commission to the USA. Read online or subscribe to receive by email.
  • Jurist: European Union (RSS Feed available)
  • Jurist: European Constitution (RSS Feed available)
  • EU Law Blog

Other Internet Sites

  • Best European Union Law Websites A very good place to start your EU legal research. Be sure to use the A to Z Index of EU Websites.
  • Eur-Lex: The Portal to European Union Law. A single entry point to the complete collections of EU legal documents and information, including treaties, legislation, and case law.
  • Delegation of the European Commission to the United States Home page for the delegation. Focus is on economic and trade information of the European Union, particularly with the U.S. Text of press releases with archives from December 1995 under News link.
  • EuroInternet Michael Nentwich of the Research Institute for European Affairs in Austria has developed a EuroInternet page. Numerous links arranged under broad headings, such as: Writings, EU Institutions, Research Institutions, Teaching, and Databases & Documents.
  • EUROPA A coordinated effort by EU institutions under the auspices of the Commission. Includes information on the EU's goals, policies and agendas, "On the Record" official EU documents, links to EU homepages, online publications, services and statistics. Good place to start EU research on the Web.
  • European Parliament Multilingual Web site of the European Parliament with an overview, news and communications.
  • European Documentation Centre - University of Mannheim Links for news, databases, online documents, press releases, EU information networks, EU institutions and programmes. Site available in German or English.
  • Jean Monnet Program This site includes the Jean Monnet Working Papers with the European Research Papers Archive, teaching materials in European Law and Institutions, the Law of Regional Economic Integration in the American Hemisphere, and the Law of World Trade, the European Integration Current Contents and the EU Center at Harvard pages.
  • Pre-Lex A good database for tracking the status and getting the history of a document. Pre-Lex follows all Commission proposals (legislative and budgetary dossiers, conclusions of international agreements) and communications from their transmission to the Council or the European Parliament right through to their adoption or rejection by the Council, their adoption by Parliament or their withdrawal by the Commission.
  • SCADPlus Database of EU policies and legislative overviews.
  • European Union Legal Materials: An Infrequent Users Guide, by Duncan hE. Alford Associate Dean for Library and Information Services and Associate Professor of Law at Charlotte School of Law, North Carolina.
  • European Parliament; the official web portal to the European Parliament. For the English language homepage for the European Parliament, click here.
  • Glossary: Institutions, Policies and Enlargement of the European Union (EU). This site offers a selective list of terms and concepts related to the EU.
  • Index of EU Topics; While technically not a dictionary, this excellent alphabetical index of EU organizations, agencies and topics is maintained by the Washington Delegation of the European Union.

Revised July 2006 (aeb)
Links revised August 2008 (RAS)

Page last saved 16-Oct-2009