Introduction to EU legal sources for non-EU students

Margaret WatsonAcademic Services Librarian

Bodleian Law Library

Objectives: this session will look at...

• the legal process and its documents

• printed sources for EU legislation and case law

• free web resources• (subscription databases)

Primary legislation: Treaties

Treaty on European Union (consolidated text)

Treaty establishing the European Community (consolidated text)

Lisbon Treaty (not fully ratified)

Accession treaties

Click here for the Treaties

Click here for the full text of the Lisbon Treaty

Secondary legislation: legal process

• The Commission proposes legislation;

• The Parliament is consulted;

• The Council decides;

• Implementation in the member states;

• Interpretation and enforcement

1. Formative phase

Internal Commission documents

• SEC documents

• COM documents

• COM final documents

Preparatory Documents

• COM Documents

• EP Reports

COM Docs

Three categories:

• Consultative documents• Proposals for legislation• Reports on the implementation of

policy 

Example of a COM doc

• http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/resources/documents/common/whats_new/tobacco-20080716/COM459_en.pdf

Citation of COM Docs

• COM• (year)• Running number final• (Date of adoption by Commission)

Example:COM(2001) 510 final 12.9.2001

COM Docs additional codes

• COD = Codecision• SYN = Cooperation• AVC = Assent• CNS = Consultation

Example: 2001/0207 (CNS)

COM Docs in the Library

• 1963-1982: paper format at EC/1 per.7

• 1983-2002: microfiches

• OJ (lacks explanatory memoranda)

• Online http://ec.europa.eu/prelex/apcnet.cfm?CL=en

2. Consultation

• European Parliament Reports (PEDOCS)

• European Parliament Opinions

• ESC Opinions

• CoR Opinions

• Council Common Positions

European Parliament documentation

• Reports from committees

• Resolutions and other texts

• Minutes of plenary debates and agendas

• Questions (written, oral and at Question Time)

Example of an EP Report

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=185312

EP document citation

PE DOC A5-0123/2000

• produced during the 5th parliament

• number 0123• in the year 2000

EP Documentation in the Library• Reports

1953-1985 paper format, EC/3 per. 7 1985-1997 microfiches1998 - online

• Debates1952 to May 1999 paper format, EC/3 per.51996 – online

• ResolutionsOJ C series

• QuestionsOJ C series

3. Decision Phase

Reflected in the Secondary Legislation …

Secondary Legislation

• Regulations

• Directives

• Decisions

Citation: Regulations

Council Regulation (EEC) 1408/71 Institution, e.g. Council• Form (Regulation)• Treaty basis• Number• Year

n.b. number precedes year

Citation: DirectivesCommission Directive 2005/86/EC

• Institution• Form (Directive)• Year• Number• Treaty basis

n.b. year precedes number

Treaties and legislation are published in the Official Journal

Official Journal

• L series: adopted legislation

• C series: information of public interest

• (S series: invitations to tender for public contracts)

Mode of citation of OJ

• OJ• series (L or C) • issue number• year• page number

OJ Citations

OJ L145 2001 p.43

OJ L42 1987 p.48

OJ C80 2001 p.1

4. Implementation in Member States

• EUR-Lex

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm

Implementation in Member Statese.g. United Kingdom

• House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee

• House of Lords Select Committee on the European Union

• Hansard

• Statutes and SIs

5. Interpretation and enforcement

• Cases in national courts

• Cases before the ECJ and CFI 

Case Law: European Court of Justice

• Court of First Instance (CFI)

• European Court of Justice (ECJ)

• (EU Civil Service Tribunal)

http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/j_6/

Citation of Cases• C (ECJ) or T (CFI) or F (Civil Service Tribunal)

• -

• Number of case

• /

• Year (last 2 digits)

• The parties

e.g. Case C-2/00 Hölterhoff v Freiesleben

Case Documentation• ECJ until 1993 Report for the Hearing; AG Opinion; Judgment

• ECJ 1993- AG Opinion and Judgment only

• CFI Judgment (no AG Opinion)

Paper Publication of Case Law

• OJ C series

• Transcripts

• European Court Reports

• Common Market Law Reports

• All England Law Reports European Cases

Finding Case LawThe Court’s website:• Index A-Z ; numerical and alphabetical index of cases

before the Court of Justice of the European Communities since 1953

http://curia.europa.eu/en/content/juris/index_note.htm

• Search formhttp://curia.europa.eu/jurisp/cgi-bin/form.pl?lang=en

EUR-Lex:http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_jurisprudence.do

Please ask for help!

Margaret Watsonmargaret.watson@bodley.ox.ac.uk

(2)71464