This WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources is an Internet directory of over 2000 annotated links to high-quality English-language sources of information and analysis in many international and global studies topics. Sites are carefully selected for their long-term value, favoring those with cost-free, authoritative information and analysis online.

THE EUROPEAN UNION

Sources for News about the EU

Official EU Sources

Analytical Sources about the EU

Sources for News about the European Union

Official European Union Sources

• EUROPA-- The official EU server, covering the Parliament, the Council, the Commission, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors, and other bodies of the European Union. Check the Press Corner and the News and Events sections for news, information, and orientation. Basic information about the European Union is found at About the EU. The Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement section of the European Commission site examines issues of EU enlargement and relations with neighboring countries. All available information on EUROPA about the EU's foreign policies/external relations can be found through the European Union External Action Service.

• EU Bookshop-- Handy interactive site "giving access to publications from the EU institutions, agencies and other bodies... with an online catalogue and archive of all EU publications. EU Bookshop will allow users to search for EU publications, order them and where possible, download [often free] copies."

• EUR-Lex-- The searchable portal of the European Union for European Union Law, including the Official Journal of the European Union. Note the Summaries of EU Legislation-- "Clear and concise summaries of EU legislation in all policy areas... [in] user-friendly fact sheets which summarise EU legislation... not only summaries of existing measures, but also a follow-up of legislative proposals."

• Eurobarometer-- "The polling instrument used by the European Commission, the European Parliament and other EU institutions and agencies to monitor regularly the state of public opinion in Europe on issues related to the European Union as well as attitudes on subjects of political or social nature." Posts results of many public opinion polls.

• European Commission Library and e-Resources Centre-- Central site maintained by the European Commission's unit responsible for libraries and European Documentation Centres, "an essential tool for librarians, documentalists and researchers working on European material." Find-eR is "a tool for searching multiple library resources in one interface. It includes the European Commission Library collections, plus millions of online full-text journal articles and eBooks." Also try the Commission's Publications page.

• European Court of Human Rights-- "The only truly judicial organ established by the European Convention on Human Rights... [ensuring], in the last instance, that contracting states observe their obligations under the Convention... All of the Court's judgments, and a significant selection of decisions and reports, are published [online] in the HUDOC database."

• European Documentation Centre--  Network set up by the European Commission in all EU countries except Luxembourg to offer "access to official documents and publications of the EU institutions in printed or electronic version." Much information about the EU and many of its full-text electronic documents are accessible on or through this site and its many local affiliates, also accessible through this page.

• European Union Institute for Security Studies-- An autonomous agency of the European Union, this institute conducts many insightful and thorough studies, posts them online, and offers a newsletter about security issues of interest to the EU.

• Eurostat-- "Offers a comprehensive range of printed and electronic publications and datasets that, collectively, cover all areas of European statistics, and at every level of detail." See the Publications page for the many statistics, guides, and analytical reports available free online, as well as the Eurostat yearbook. Statistics Explained presents "all possible statistical topics in an easily understandable way... [an] encyclopedia of European statistics, completed by a statistical glossary clarifying all terms used and by numerous links to further information and the very latest data and metadata..."

• European Central Bank-- Chief financial institution of the European Union, which posts reports, publications, and research papers.

• European Commission Trade Site-- From the European Commission, much information on EU trade matters.

• European Parliament-- Official website of the European Parliament, with news, information, published documents, and analysis about that legislative body and about the EU generally.

• European Union Law and Publications-- The official publishing house of the European Union "offers a number of online services giving free access to information on EU law, EU publications, EU public procurement, and EU research and development," as well as to the Official Journal of the European Union.

Analytical Sources about the European Union

• Archive of European Integration-- From the Library System of the University of Pittsburgh-- "an electronic repository and archive for research materials on the topic of European integration and unification. The AEI collects two types of materials: certain types of independently-produced research materials and official European Community/European Union documents." Thousands of documents and research papers for free download.

• Centre for European Policy Studies-- From Brussels, one of Europe's leading think tanks, with the motto of "Thinking ahead for Europe." Excellent and numerous online publications, full-text and abstracts, and commentary index, largely on the European Union.

• Centre for European Reform-- Research institute "devoted to making the EU work better, and strengthening its role in the world," pro-European cooperation, but with a critical eye to promote new ideas and policies for reforming the European Union. Numerous publications online.

• European Citizen Action Service-- NGO "independent of political parties, commercial interests and the EU Institutions. The association’s mission is to enable NGOs and individuals to make their voice heard with the EU." Site features news, documents, publications, and more about EU citizenship and civil society, rights, and transparency.

• European Council on Foreign Relations-- "First pan-European think tank... its objective is to conduct research and promote informed debate across Europe on the development of coherent and effective European values-based foreign policy."  Posts publications, podcasts, articles, blogs, and the annual "European Foreign Policy Scorecard," all about Europe's role in the world.

• European Policy Centre-- Excellent innovative, society-wide think-tank in Brussels for debate of European Union policy issues, with many documents, studies, and articles online.

• European Policy Institutes Network-- "Network of dynamic think tanks and policy institutes focusing on current EU and European political and policy debates... with almost 40 member think tanks in 28 countries... EPIN aims to contribute to the debate on the Future of Europe through up to the minute, expert analysis and commentary and through providing easy access to understanding the different national debates." Many studies posted online.

• European Research Papers Archive-- Excellent historical archive site, no longer updated since early 2015, with a database of 1925 working papers about European integration, from many research centers.

• European Union Legal Materials-- By a specialist librarian, "This guide is intended for the researcher who infrequently needs to research European Union (EU) law or related materials or to locate EU official documents." More advanced sources are listed at the end of this article.

• European Union Studies Association-- "The premier scholarly and professional association, worldwide, focusing on the European Union," with "information on EUSA's programs and activities, such as the Forum essays from our quarterly EUSA Review, ideas and syllabi for teaching the EU, updates on our next international conference, an annotated list of valuable EU-related Web links, and more."

• European University Institute-- University consortium that provides "advanced academic training to doctoral researchers and... research at the highest level," with "a European perspective in economics, law, history and civilization, and political and social sciences." Many research products on EU affairs and related topics are available here, including through the search engine for the Cadmus database. Note the European Union Information Research Guide.

• European Values Study-- "Large-scale, cross-national, and longitudinal survey research program on basic human values [in Europe], [carried on by] the European Values Study group...  aimed at exploring the moral and social values underlying European social and political institutions and governing conduct." Site posts surveys and results, newsletters, link to data, and more.

• Exploring EU Foreign Policy-- From the Catholic University of Leuven and the College of Europe, "this online resource guide for researchers, practitioners and students is a comprehensive guide through the maze of information sources on EU foreign policy... This website is a Jean Monnet Action and has received funding from the European Community."

• Federal Trust-- From the UK, Europe's oldest think-tank on European integration, focused on good governance and "the interactions between regional, national, European and global levels of government." Online studies.

• Friends of Europe-- "Part of Europe’s World Group... a leading think-tank that aims to stimulate new thinking on global and European issues that span political, economic, social and environmental challenges," Brussels-based, with policy debates and publications.

• Jacques Delors Institute (Notre Europe)-- This think tank "organises seminars and conferences, directs studies, consultations, and publications, launches information campaigns, and carries out other types of work of European interest in collaboration with institutions or press organisations." Many papers, seminar reports, debates, and sources of information off-site.

• Jean Monnet Program-- At  the New York University School of Law, publishes online the excellent Jean Monnet Working Papers on topics of European integration, with many other online resources also available at or through this site.

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies-- From the European University Institute, promotes research on the major issues confronting European society, principally the construction of Europe. Hundreds of first-rate studies are available online.

• Statewatch-- From London, a non-profit group of "lawyers, academics, journalists, researchers and community activists" that "encourages the publication of investigative journalism and critical research in the fields of the state, civil liberties and openness" in Europe. News, bulletin, documents, and analytical papers online or linked.

• Trans European Policy Studies Association-- "The first transeuropean research network, comprises leading research institutes in the field of European affairs throughout Europe,... [whose] aim is to provide high quality research on European integration in order to stimulate discussion on policies and political options for Europe... by interaction between the European and national institutions as well as the academic and research community." Posts publications and a newsletter on integration issues.