Research Guides: European Union Legal Materials: Electronic Databases

Electronic Databases

Databases are excellent resources for accessing EU materials. There are a variety of database options, each of which has its advantages. As an example, while Europa, the official EU database, has access to current materials, commercial databases like Westlaw provide access to both current and older materials. The commercial databases also have more sophisticated search mechanisms. The scope of coverage and ease of use of the commercial databases can also be a factor in choosing the one to use. It is advisable to start with the interface with which one is most comfortable and then try the others.

This section is designed to serve as a general introduction to the databases. Specific access information for individual types of materials will be discussed in subsequent section.

Note: Database content in each of these products can change and the individual databases may or may not be comprehensive. As a general rule, the official sources available through Europa provide the most current information, more current than any of the commercial databases. It is important to check the descriptions of the content of the individual databases. In Westlaw Edge and Lexis+, there are informational icons listed after the database name.

Europa
The official web page of the European Union provides excellent access to official EU documents. Compared to the commercial databases, Europa offers the most current coverage, often including same day information. It contains links to the homepages of EU institutions and explains the functions and activities of these institutions. This portal has become a principal tool to improve the transparency of EU governance. Europa is an excellent resource for information when one is interested in a specific document or specific documents. The search function on Europa is basic and advanced searching can be problematic. While Europa is an excellent resource for recent EU materials, it does not contain a comprehensive archive of older materials. For older materials, it is necessary to use one of the commercial databases, such as Westlaw Edge, or Lexis+.
Westlaw EU materials
Westlaw's EU section contains materials relating to case law, legislation, originating treaties and regulations. The database includes EU treaties since 1951, legislation since 1952, preparatory acts since 1974, and parliamentary questions since 1992. Case law dates back to 1954 for the European Court of Justice and 1989 for the General Court (and its predecessor, The Court of First Instance). There is access to periodical articles, and updates of current awareness materials. Currency within the databases varies, but Westlaw generally updates within 24 hours of publication.