Government bodies

Le Défenseur des droits

Website of the office of the Défenseur des droits, the Children's Ombudsman for France. The office was created by the French Parliament in March 2000, and its mission is to defend and promote children's rights in France. The site explains the role of the Défenseur. Reports and opinions of the Défenseur are available, together with summaries of relevant French laws and information about the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (with the text of the Convention, in French).

Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator

Website of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), an independent registrar and regulator responsible for the regulation of charities in Scotland, and part of the Scottish Administration. . The Scottish Charity Register can be searched by charity name, number or address. A framework document provides further information on the OSCR 's status, management and financial arrangements and this can be viewed in PDF on the site. There is also a selection of FAQs and a page of relevant Web links.

Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales

Website of the Mexican Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), a government agency with responsibility for environmental protection. Most of the site is in Spanish, but English translations of a number of key documents and some background information are provided. Documents include the General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection and a summary of the Environmental Justice Administration Program 2001-2006. The section from the Criminal Code dealing with Environmental Crimes is also included on the site.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Office of the High Representative

The Office of the High Representative 'is an ad hoc international institution responsible for overseeing implementation of civilian aspects of the accord ending the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina'. The High Representative is also the EU Representative. This site also contains the full text of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a Word document. by the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

State of Israel Judicial Authority

Official website of the Supreme Court of Israel, available in Hebrew and English. The site describes the role and function of the courts and the judiciary. A selection Supreme Court judgements is available on the site in PDF format. There is historical background information and guidance on the court system, covering the Supreme Court, District Courts, Magistrates' Courts and Juvenile Courts, along with the various tribunals. There is also information about individual judges.

Ofcom

Ofcom is a UK official body created in December 2003 from five former telecommunications watchdogs and regulatory authorities- the Broadcasting Standards Commission, Independent Television Commission (ITC), Oftel (Office of Telecommunications), Radio Authority and Radiocommunications Agency. Its role is to regulate all aspects of the British telecommunications sector. This includes TV and radio broadcasting, digital media, mobile phones and land based telephones. The website provides information on the role of the body and its current activities.

Secretariat for Legal Affairs, Organization of American States

The Secretariat for Legal Affairs forms part of the Organization for American States (OAS) providing advice and legal services to the OAS in the field of public international law and private international law. The OAS is a regional forum for dialogue and cooperation on political, economic and social issues in the Americas. The site explains the work of the Inter-American Specialized Conferences on Private International Law (CIDIP) who produce international instruments such as conventions, protocols, uniform documents and model laws which are provided on the site.

Trademark and Patent Assignments on the Web

The Trademark Assignments and Patent Assignments on the Web databases are provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and made freely available on their website. The trademark database provides information on ownership of trademarks from 1955 to date and patent information is available from 1980 onwards. The database can be searched using a range of criteria including registration or serial number and by assignor or assignee name, applicant name or registrant name.

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