Using EU databases 1 - Finding and tracking proposed legislation using EUR-Lex, PreLex, OEIL

Co

py

rig

ht

Eu

ro

pe

an

Inf

or

ma

tio

nA

ss

oc

Proposals for legislation are published by the European Commission. They appear initially as Commission documents (COMdocs or COMs), which can be found on the EUR-Lex website under the section Preparatory acts. The progress of a proposal can be tracked using the PreLex and OEIL databases. These provide complementary information and should be used in tandem rather than as alternatives. The following slides give examples of how to access and navigate these three sources

iat

ion

20

09

europa.eu/index_en.htm

The arrow shows which link to follow / button to click

 Note that the COM number is often seen in the form 'COM (2007) 368 final, the 'final' denoting that it is the version of the text formally adopted by the Commission. Some draft COMs are not adopted by the Commission, and there will therefore be gaps in the numerical sequence. Not all COMdocs are proposals for legislation; some take the form of consultative documents (Green / White papers), others are reports on EU policies. EUR-Lex includes all COMdocs published since 2000, plus selected items from 1999.

Scroll down see next slide

py

rig

Co

ht

Eu

If you know the year and number, use the search option; otherwise browse the relevant year/month

ro

pe

an

Inf

or

Wherever possible, choose pdf format, as it will include original images; the document will open in a new window

ma

tio

nA

ss

oc

iat

ion

20

09

The COM number can be used to track progress on PreLex and OEIL.

The Explanatory Memorandum can provide useful background to a proposal

If you dont want to browse, try the search facility

Note the page defaults are: - to look for all preparatory documents - to search using keywords (Search terms) - to look for pending proposals For draft legislation, limit the search to Commission proposals and opinions. Make your selection and then click Search.

The default is to search within titles only. Note the tips for better searching. Type in your search term(s) then click Search or hit enter.

Co

For each item found, the available format options are shown. Clicking html, pdf or doc opens the document in a new window, in the relevant format. Choosing either of the Bibliographic options will display additional information and also give links to the available formats.

py

rig

ht

Eu

ro

pe

an

Inf

or

ma

tio

nA

The number of items found is shown; if there are too many, youll need to refine your search in some way

ss

oc

iat

ion

20

09

OEIL is a European Parliament database used to track the progress of proposed legislation. It shows which stage a proposal has reached, and gives summaries of - and links to - relevant documents (with an emphasis on those produced by Parliament)

OEIL is the European Parliaments Legislative Observatory; the acronym comes from the French name of the database

Search options are accessed via the 'Procedures' tab

Choose the Commission document link

Select the document type from the drop-down menu; type in the year and number of the item required

Click 'Search' or hit the 'enter' key.

Ensure the box is ticked against the item(s) required and that the appropriate format is selected. Click the 'Selected' button. When the dialogue box appears, select 'Open'; the 'Procedure file' page will be displayed

The 'Stages procedure' section shows the proposal's progress. Links are provided to the texts of selected documents (primarily those from the Parliament)

ma

The Agents procedure' section shows the relevant EP committees, Council configuration etc

tio

nA

Co

py

rig

Summaries are given for significant points see the following slides

ht

Eu

ro

pe

an

Inf

or

ss
The link to PreLex goes direct to the relevant PreLex dossier

oc

iat

ion

20

09

These two pages show a sample pdf OEIL file for an older proposal, illustrating the amount of detail available, including document references and summaries of the Institutions views (EP, Council etc)

Examples of summaries

PreLex is a European Commission database used to track the progress of proposed legislation. It shows which stage a proposal has reached, and gives links to relevant documents, including legislative texts and press releases (which can be easier to understand!)

Note that it is possible to search by keyword and to limit your search to specific date ranges. Type in the details of the item being sought - e.g. com 2006 111. Click Search or hit enter.

Events gives an overview of progress (in this case, the proposal has been adopted see next slide)

Details of the item are displayed, including its title and progress through the decisionmaking process

the link to OEIL goes direct to the relevant OEIL file

The proposal has been adopted by Parliament and Council, and the Regulation text has been published in the Official Journal.

Links are provided to the texts of selected documents (including many not shown by OEIL, e.g. Commission and Council press releases)

Co

py

rig

ht

Eu

ro

pe

an

Inf

text of the Regulation adopted following the publication of the proposal published as COM (2006) 111

or

ma

tio

nA

ss

oc

iat

ion

20

09

 Use EUR-Lex to trace a proposal (COM document) Check progress of the proposal using OEIL and/or PreLex