Government publications

House of Commons Background Paper: Public Bills - Commons Library Standard Note

Detailed briefing paper on UK legislative procedure, produced by the House of Commons Library and published on the UK Parliament website in December 2012. Covers government bills, private members' bills, hybrid bills and other types of bill. Also has a section on the Parliament Acts and a section on more specialised procedures such as the carry-over of bills to a new session of Parliament.

Aarhus Convention

This page of the European Commission's Environment website is devoted to the Aarhus Convention of 1998, relating to the public right to information about official environmental policy. As well as the text of the Convention, the page provides an overview of the issues involved, EU implementing legislation, studies, details of conferences, news and guidance from the European Commission about access to information, consultation processes and access to justice. Users will also find a useful section covering concise summaries of European environmental policy and regulations.

Avalon Project: the United Nations Documents

A set of documents concerning the foundation of the United Nations and its several divisions, provided online by the Avalon Project at Yale Law School. Includes the UN Charter and other charters and statutes relating to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; the International Courts of Justice; the World Health Organisation; the International Refugee Organisation, the World Meteorological Organisation; and the International Maritime Convention Organisation.

Avalon Project : Agreement Between the United States and Cuba for the Lease of Lands for Coaling and Naval stations; February 23, 1903

This document has been made available by the Avalon Project at Yale Law School. It is a lease agreement between the United States of and the Republic of Cuba, subject to terms to be agreed at a later date. "For the time required" Cuba agrees to lease land for coaling and naval stations to the USA within specified areas: Guantanamo, Bahia Honda, and the peninsula of Cerro del Morillo and Punta del Carenero. The US also has rights to use and occupy the adjacent waters. The document was signed on 16th February 1903.

Review of civil litigation costs

This section of the Judiciary website is devoted to official reviews of civil litigation costs, from Lord Justice Jackson's prelimary and final reports of 2009 and 2010 onwards. It provides background information about the reviews, the official reports on civil litigation costs, pilot studies, press releases, speeches, responses to consultations and related documents.

Human rights by country

Guide to human rights in UN member states, on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Human rights documents and news are provided for each country. The documents include Special Procedures reports, reports of UN Treaty Bodies and information about the status of human rights treaties. The site is in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese.

United Nations and the Rule of Law

This site is maintained by the United Nations to provide information and resources regarding its work on maintaining the rule of law. It offers UN press releases and a repository of UN documents including General Assembly resolutions, reports, norms and standards, guidance and training materials. Topics covered include the rule of law at national and international levels, constitution building, transitional justice, informal justice, peace building and international security.

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