European Union

Legal Framework of the European Central Bank

The European Central Bank (ECB) makes available on its website a collection of documents which constitute its legal framework. Included in the collection are the relevant EU primary legislation (EC Treaty, EU Treaty and so on); the Statute of the ECB and the Statute of the European System of Central Banks; the ECB rules of procedure and other institutional provisions; and legal provisions relating to the ECB's operations (monetary policy, payment and settlement systems, banknotes and coins, foreign exchange etc.). In addition, all the ECB's legal opinions are provided.

European Parliament: Supporting Analyses

This part of the European Parliament's website provides a searchable database of research produced by European Parliament departments. All aspects of the work of the European Parliament are covered, including legal affairs, constitutional affairs, agriculture, the economy, human rights, the environment, international trade and freedom security and justice. In addition to the database itself, there is a subject catalogue of the documents it contains, providing brief details but not the full text.

IP Justice

IP Justice (IPJ) is a California based non-profit organisation that "promotes balanced intellectual property law". The website provides background information about the organisation including the 'Principles of IP Justice', profiles of directors and press releases. IPJ's publications are made freely available on the site in full-text in a range of formats.

European Group on Tort Law

The European Group on Tort Law is made up of scholars in the area of tort law and the website is hosted by the University of Girona in Spain. The group has produced a collection of Principles of European Tort Law which is focused on the harmonisation of tort law across Europe. The report is made freely available on the site in a range of formats and languages (including non-European languages). There are profiles of members of the group and details of their publications; some of these have links to the full text.

IPKat

IPKat is an intellectual property blog produced by a group of UK-based IP lawyers and patent agents. Founded in 2003, it focuses on UK and European law and covers issues such as copyright, patents, trademarks and branding. Links to other relevant web resources such as cases, legislation, news sources and company websites are also included.

Archive of European Integration

The Archive of European Integration (AEI), maintained by the University of Pittsburgh, is an online repository of documents relating to the development of the European Union. It consists of EU official documents - such as green and white papers, treaties and reports - and independently-published materials such as conference papers, working papers and journal articles. The Archive can be searched by keyword, or browsed by topic, year, or document number.

Draft EU Convention: Full documentation Vols I & II and explanatory reports on amendments

Text of the Convention on the Future of Europe's ultimately unsuccessful European Union constitutional treaty, with related documents, on the website of Statewatch, an organisation devoted to investigative journalism and critical research in Europe in the fields of the state, justice and home affairs, civil liberties, accountability and openness. The site provides the text of the draft treaty, explanatory notes and details of amendments. In addition there are critiques and commentary from Statewatch. The site is in English.

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

This section of the European Parliament's website contains the full text of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union with detailed commentary on each chapter. Links are provided to relevant national, international and EU laws. Annexes contain reports by independent experts on the safeguarding of fundamental rights in Europe; UN and Council of Europe conventions; and a list of NGOs involved in the field of fundamental rights.

Does the European Union Have a Constitution? Does It Need One?

Harvard Jean Monnet Working Paper 5/2000 by Jean-Claude Piris, published on the website of New York University Law School's Jean Monnet Centre for International and Regional Economic Law and Justice. The paper discusses constitutional issues relating to the European Union. This includes an examination of whether the founding treaties of the EU constitute a 'constitution' and how they could be strengthened.

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