Treaties ( Primary Law)
The principal sources of European Union Law are the following treaties :
Treaty of Paris, 1951 - established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
261 United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS) 140.
JX 170.U35 - First Floor
Treaty of Rome, 1957 - established the European Economic Community (EEC).
298 UNTS 11 and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM),
298 UNTS 167.
Maastricht Treaty, 1992 - amends the earlier treaties establishing the EEC and EURATOM, and created the European Union (EU).
31 International Legal Materials (ILM) 247- Third floor periodicals.
The Maastricht Treaty, also known at the Treaty on European Union (TEU) made significant changes to the EEC Treaty. The TEU established a "three pillar structure". The first pillar builds on the economic union already established by the EEC; the second pillar contains provisions concerning common foreign and security policy, and the third pillar deals with cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs.
Treaty of Amsterdam, 1997 - Strengthens references to human rights and freedoms, makes changes to procedures of European Union institutions and, provides for closer cooperation of member states in specific substantive areas.
37 ILM 56
EC Treaties from July 1979 are available on LEXIS, EURCOM Library; LEXIS-NEXIS Exchange Source: European Communities Law. The consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community are on EUR-LEX: http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex
Secondary Law
European Court of Justice Decisions (ECJ) - cases beginning in 1954 are available on LEXIS in EURCOM Library, ECJ File.
Legislation
Regulations - binding in all the member states
Directives - binding as to result but states may choose method of implementation
Decisions - binding on those to whom they are addressed
Recommendations and Opinions - not binding
The text of legislation of the EU can be found in the Official Journal of the European Communities (OJ) which is published each working day. The Legislation-L Series contains the regulations, directives and other binding acts adopted by the Commission and Council. The
Communications-C Series includes non-binding decisions and resolutions of the institutions, Minutes of the Parliament, communications and notices of the Commission, and ECJ decisions.
The OJs are available free online via EUR-Lex for 45 days, after which they are available on the CELEX database, accessible on LEXIS in the European Community Library. CELEX includes the full text of treaties, binding and non-binding legislation, opinions and resolutions issued by EU Institutions and the case law of the ECJ.
EC Legislation from 1980 can also be accessed using LEXIS, EURCOM Library, LEGIS File.
European Union Institutions
European Commission - executive and administrative branch, organized into departments called Directorate Generals, is responsible for drafting legislation.
Council of the European Union - principal legislative body. Acts on Commission proposals. Has Treaty making power.
The European Parliament - composed of Representatives directly elected by populations of Member States. A forum for debate with more limited legislative authority than the Council.
The European Court of Justice - the highest legal authority of the EC, the ECJ decides cases involving application and interpretation of the treaties and legislation. ECJ web page has full text of judgments from June 1997.
The Economic and Social Committee - represents, labor, industry and other interests.
The Committee of the Regions - offers advisory opinions on matters affecting regional interests.
European Council - composed of the heads of state, sets overall policy guidelines.
Court of Auditors - oversees EU expenditures
European Investment Bank - provides capital for economic development
European Central Bank - responsible for supervision/administration of the Euro.
The home page for each of the institutions is linked to http://europa.eu.int/inst-en.htm.
European Union Websites
The European Union - http://europa.eu.int
The European Union's official web site. Provides general information on the EU, links to home pages for EU institutions, policy links and news updates.
RAPID - http://europa.eu.int/news-en.htm
Rapid is a database of press releases issued by several institutions of the European Union. Rapid is also available on LEXIS, EURCOM Library, Rapid File.
SCAD - http://europa.eu.int/scad
The European Union's bibliographic database which contains references to official legislative documents and publications and secondary periodical literature dealing with EU activities.
SCADPLUS - http://europa.eu.int/scadplus
Includes the SCAD database, summaries of EU policy in specific sectors, a glossary of terminology, and a calendar of upcoming meetings of the major EU institutions.
The European Union in the United States - http://eurunion.org
Home page for the delegation of the European Commission to the United States. Includes an Information Guide with chapters "What is the European Union" and "How is the EU Run". Focus is on economic and trade information between member states of the EU and the U.S.
European Union Law Research
The following print materials are available in the NSU Law Library.
A Brief and Practical Guide to EC Law, 2nd ed David Medhurst : Oxford, England: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1994.
Describes the main treaties, the institutions of the EC, processes and the important areas of substantive law.
KJE 949 .M43 1994
Blackstone's EC Legislation, 4th ed. Nigel Foster. London: Blackstone Press Limited, 1993.
Includes the full text of the EC Treaty as amended by the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht), and the original EEC Treaty.
KJE 916 .B53 1993
EC LAW, Text, Cases and Materials. Paul Craig and Grainne de Burca.: Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 1995.
Coverage of both the institutional and substantive law of the European Community. Includes a substantial selection of case law.
KJE 947 .C73 1995
European Community Law, 3rd ed. Derrick Wyatt and Alan Dashwood. London: Sweet & Maxwell, 1993
Discusses the Treaty on European Union, the institutions of the European Community, the legislative process as well as substantive areas of law.. Chapters on the jurisdiction, practice and procedure of the European Court of Justice.
KJE 947 .W96 1993
European Union Encyclopedia and Directory, 1996. London: Europa Publications, 1995.
Comprehensive guide to the European Union. Includes a chronology of EC/EU developments, information on the institutions of the European Union and their operation, and essays on the political, legal, social and economic framework of the EU.
HC 241.2.E97 1996
European Union Law After Maastricht. Ralph H. Folsom, Ralph B. Lake , Ved P. Nanda, editors. The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 1996.
Discusses five major topics: lawmaking and litigation in the European Union; general regulatory issues, corporate and financial issues; specific industries and trade law.
KJE 6569 E875 1996
European Union Law Guide. Philip Raworth, compiler and editor. Dobbs Ferry, New York: Oceana Publications, 1995 -.
Six volume looseleaf providing coverage of the foreign trade laws of the European Union.
KJE 949.E97
European Union Law in a Nutshell, 2nd ed. Ralph H. Folsom. St. Paul, MN.: West Publishing, 1995.
KJE 949.F55 1995
The Government and Politics of the European Union, 3rd ed . Neill Nugent. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1994.
Analyzes the creation and development of the three European Communities, and the evolution of the European Community into the broader European Union.
JN 15 N84 1994
The Legislative Process in the European Community. Philip Raworth. Deventer, the Netherlands: Kluwer Law and Taxation Publishers, 1993.
KJE 5349.R39 1993
The Treaty of Rome Consolidated and the Treaty of Maastricht . Neville March Hunnings and Joe MacDonald Hill. London: Sweet & Maxwell, 1992.
Contains the European Union Treaty adopted at Maastricht which made significant changes to the EEC Treaty.
KJE 4442.3 1992.
Duquesne Law Review, "The European Union: Where is it Now?" Hon. John P. Flaherty and Maureen E. Lally-Green. Vol. 34, Summer 1996 , pp. 923 - 1008.
Discussion of history of EU, Treaties, the Law and the Institutions of the EC
North Dakota Law Review. "An Introduction to the European Community and to European Community Law. Tore Totdal. Vol .75 No. 9, pp. 59 - 73.
Provides an overview of the history of the European Community. Aspects of EC Law and EC Institutions are discussed, and the relationship between the European Union and the European Community is explored.
