EU Law
Latest business news about EU law, legal issues and the European Court of Justice
A Constitution for Europe
Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe - Official Journal of the European Union
Treaty of Lisbon
Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, signed at Lisbon, 13 December 2007 - Official Journal of the European Union
Treaty of Lisbon
Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, signed at Lisbon, 13 December 2007 - Official Journal of the European Union
Treaty of Lisbon
Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, signed at Lisbon, 13 December 2007 - Official Journal of the European Union
How to Preserve Trust in Anti-trust
Let it be known: yesterday was European Competition Day. With a one-day conference in Stockholm, hosted by the Swedish EU Presidency, the European Commission wanted to enhance the visibility of EU competition policy (or anti-trust policy, in American terminology) and explain its achievements to the general public.
Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council
The Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council brings together Justice ministers and Interior ministers about once every two months to discuss the development and implementation of cooperation and common policies in this sector. The creation of an Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, is a key aim of the EU Treaty.
Allowing access to fingerprints on EURODAC - briefing
Police cooperation: allowing access to fingerprints stored in EURODAC by EU Member States' law enforcement authorities and by Europol.
Energy Infrastructure
The European Union finances electricity and gas transmission infrastructure projects of European interest. A yearly budget of about EUR 25 million is spent mainly for supporting feasibility studies. Most of the projects cross national borders or have an influence on several EU Member States.
Fight against tax fraud: Commission proposals to allow better cooperation between tax authorities
In the framework of its strategy to better combat tax evasion and fraud, the European Commission today adopted two proposals for new Directives aimed at improving mutual assistance between EU Member States' tax authorities in the assessment and the recovery of taxes. One of the key elements of the proposals is that Member States would no longer be able to invoke bank secrecy in order to refuse cross border co-operation.
EU Services Directive
The objective of the European Union Services Directive is to achieve a genuine Internal Market in services by removing legal and administrative barriers to the development of service activities between EU Member States.
EU Directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law
The Directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law regulates the protection of the environment through criminal law and significantly contributes to the more effective implementation of environmental protection policy at EU level.
Lobbyists activities - EP Legislative Observatory texts
Development of the framework for the activities of interest representatives (lobbyists) in the European institutions - European Parliament Legislative Observatory - COM(2007)0127 - A6-0105/2008
Mediation in civil and commercial matters - guide
The European Parliament and the EU's Council on 23 April 2008 gave the go-ahead for an EU law to encourage mediation for cross-border legal disputes. The directive promotes the use of mediation as a faster and cheaper alternative to going to court in civil and commercial cross-border disputes.
Mediation in civil and commercial matters - summary
The European Parliament and the EU Council on 23 April 2008 gave the go-ahead for an EU law to encourage mediation for cross-border legal disputes. The proposed directive is aimed at promoting the use of mediation as a faster and cheaper alternative to going to court in civil and commercial cross-border disputes.
Antitrust: EC policy paper on compensating consumer and business victims of competition breaches - guide
The European Commission on 3 April 2008 published a White Paper suggesting a new model for achieving compensation for consumers and businesses who are the victims of antitrust violations (breaches of EC Treaty rules on restrictive business practices and abuse of dominant market positions). At present, there are serious obstacles in most EU Member States that discourage consumers and businesses from claiming compensation in court in private antitrust damages actions. The White Paper includes suggestions to make damages claims by victims more efficient, whilst ensuring respect for European legal systems and traditions. The model outlined by the Commission is based on compensation through single damages for the harm suffered. The White Paper's other key recommendations cover collective redress, disclosure of evidence and the effect of final decisions of competition authorities in subsequent damages actions. The recommendations balance rights and obligations of both the claimant and the defendant and include safeguards against abuses of litigation. Interested parties are invited to comment on the recommendations until 15 July 2008. The Commission will then reflect on concrete measures in the light of responses to the White Paper.
European Police College - CEPOL
CEPOL brings together senior police officers across Europe with the aim to encourage cross-border cooperation in the fight against crime, public security and law and order. Established as an agency of the European Union (EU) in 2005 (Council Decision 2005/681/JHA of 20 September 2005), the CEPOL Secretariat is based at Bramshill in the United Kingdom.
European Arrest Warrant
The European Union has adopted a Framework Decision on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between Member States. The decision simplifies and speeds up the procedure, given that the whole political and administrative phase is replaced by a judicial mechanism
EU terminology translator
A one-stop shop for EU-related terminology (InterActiveTerminology for Europe) in 23 languages opened to the public on 28 June 2007. The InterActive Terminology for Europe database, known as IATE, combines the terminology databases of the individual EU institutions and bodies in a single database containing 8.7 million terms and covering all 23 official EU languages. IATE ,which has been in use by the translation services of the EU institutions since 2005, already plays a major role in ensuring the quality of the written communication of the EU institutions and bodies. Offering easy access to validated EU-related terminology, it ensures the consistency and reliability of terminology which is indispensable for producing the clear and unambiguous texts necessary for guaranteeing both the validity and transparency of the legislative process and effective communication with the citizens of the Union.
European Judicial Training Network
The website of the European Judicial Training Network aims to provide its visitors, and more particularly, European judges and prosecutors, with information on the activities of the Network, as well as its members, which are the institutions in charge of the judicial training in each EU Member State.
EU Transparency Initiative
The purpose of this corner is to give a small overview on the Transparency Initiative – an idea, which among other goals aims to increase openness and accessibility of EU institutions, raise awareness over the use of the EU budget and make the Union's institutions more accountable to the public. The site will be constantly updated as the debate progresses, providing you with fresh information on the outcomes of the debates and future plans.