1. Overview of European Union Law Research International & Foreign Legal Research Spring 2007

2. Players • European Commission • Council of the European Union • European Parliament • European Economic and Social Committee • Court of Justice • Court of First Instance • European Court of Auditors • Others • Class Materials

4. Decision-Making • Involves the Commission, the Parliament, and the Council. • In general, the European Commission proposes new legislation and the Council and Parliament pass the laws. • All rules and procedures are laid out in the treaties. • Every proposal for a new law is based on a specific treaty article, referred to as the ‘legal basis’ of the proposal.

5. Legislative Procedures • Assent • Co-decision (the most common) • Cooperation • Consultation • Class Materials

6. Documents • Primary Legislation (constitution) • Treaties • Treaty Establishing the European Community • Treaty on European Union • Others • Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe (not in force) • International Agreements • Agreements with other countries & international orgs. • Class Materials

7. Documents • Secondary Legislation • Regulations • Directives (require implementing legislation) • Decisions • Other • Recommendations • Opinions • Consolidated legislation • Not official, but handy • Class Materials

8. Preparatory Materials • Preparatory acts • Legislative proposals and opinions from the Commission • COM documents • Legislative proposals • White papers (contain proposals) • Green papers (discussion papers) • Class Materials

9. Documents • Case Law • Judgments from the European Court of Justice and Court of First Instance • Opinions • Class Materials

10. Sources • Official Journal • EUR-Lex • Europa • LexisNexis • Westlaw • Other print & electronic sources • Class Materials

11. Secondary Legislation • Regulations and directives • Number • (EC) 408/98 • L10 1998 • 93/13 (EC) • OJ citation • 1993 OJ L 95/29 • Topic • Legislation in Force

12. Regulation • Council regulation (EC) 1236/2005, 2005 OJ L 200/1 • EUR-Lex • LexisNexis • Westlaw

13. Directive • Council Directive 2001/20/EC, 2001 OJ L 121/34 • EUR-Lex • LexisNexis • Westlaw • Implementing legislation • LexisNexis • Westlaw • EUR-Lex • European Current Law: Monthly Digest

14. Case Law • Print • Official reports • Commercial reports • EUR-Lex • Web site • LexisNexis • Westlaw

15. Preparatory Acts • Avian Flu, COM(2005)171 final • EUR-Lex • Pre-Lex • Legislative Observatory

16. Other Useful Sources • Bulletin • A to Z Index • Terminology • Lots of print sources containing commentary, analysis & finding tools • Journal literature • Research guides