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Foreign Legal Research: Region and Topic

There are many sites where the laws on various topics or from various regions have been gathtered. For access by region try:

• Latin America
• Africa
• Europe
• Eastern Europe & NIS
• Asia
• Middle East.

For accss by topic try:

• Anti-Trust
• Arbitration
• Banking
• Business
• Constitutional
• Criminal
• Election
• Employment
• Environmental
• Health
• Human Rights
• Humanitarian
• Intellectual Property
• Media
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Other
• Tax
• Trade

There are also some databases which try to be global in their coverage. Those are listed immediately below.

General

• Global Legal Information Network (Library of Congress) - this project has full-text access to the laws of many Latin American countries as well as a few others and citation access to laws for many other countries.
• WorldLII (World Legal Information Institute) provides access to numerous full-text databases of legal primary sources, however, probably it is easier to look at the entry for individual countries through the Foreign Law Portal.
• World Law Guide: Legislation (Lexadin) - has links to full-text laws for various countries.

By Region

Latin America

• Inter-American Treaties within the Framework of the OAS (Organization of American States
• Inter-american system: Agreements, Conventions and other Documents (Yale University)
• Internet Resources for Latin America from the New Mexico State University Library
• Foreign Trade Information System (OAS)
• Revised Guide to International Trade Law Sources on the Internet by Marci Hoffman (LLRX)
• Indigenous Legislation Index (InterAmerican Development Bank)
• Latin American Network Information Center (UTexas)

Africa

• Collections Documentaires (Droit Francophone) full-text laws and cases of many french speaking African countries.
• SAFLII (Southern African Legal Information Institute) includes full-text laws and cases of many Southern African countries.
• CommonLII (Commonwealth Legal Information Institute) includes full-text laws and cases of those African countries who are in the Commonwealth
• Juricaf (AHJUCFA) database of Supreme Court decisions for Francophone countries. Only available to legal professionals - appears that you can register.
• Sources of Online Legal Information for African Countries (GlobaLex)
• Media Legislation in Africa (UNESCO) - summaries
• Sub-saharan Africa Government Information (UC Berkeley) has a customized search engine and links to government databases.

Europe

• N-Lex (EurLex) gateway to national law in the EU.
• LegislatiOnline (OSCE) selected laws of OSCE member countries.
• Forest Legislation in Europe (FAO)
• Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe: Legislation (Council of Europe)
• Eurydice Information network on Education lists of legislation for each country if browse by country

Eastern Europe and New Independent States

• LegislatiOnline (OSCE) selected laws of OSCE member countries.
• Law Reform In Transition States (University of Bremen)
• Nation Building in the Balkans (Chicago-Kent Law School)
• Country by Country Resources (Eastern European Constitutional Review)
• Electoral Legislation (Political Transformation and the Electroral Process in Post-Communist Europe)
• Country Research and Legislation (European Corporate Goverance Institute)

Asia

• PacLII (Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute)
• AsianLII (Asian Legal Information Institute)
• Compendium of Energy Conservation Legislation in Countries of the Asia Pacific Region (UNESCAP)

Middle East

• Arab Legal Portal (Programme on Governance in the Arab Region - UNDP)
• Study of Comparative Constitutions for Muslim Countries (US Commission on International Religious Freedom)
• Encyclopedia of Arab Legislations and Regulations (Arab Center for the Development of the Rule of Law and Integrity) subscription database.

By Topic

Anti-Trust

Full-Text of Laws

• Global Competition Forum (International Bar Association) select "Laws"
• National Competition Legislation (UNCTAD)
• Competition Policy and Law Database (APEC)

Guides and Reports

• Competition Law and Policy (OECD)
• Inventory of Domestic Laws and Regulations Relating to Competition Policy in the Western Hemisphere (FTAA)
• Report on Developments and Enforcement of Competition Policy and Laws in the Western Hemisphere (MS Word format) (FTAA)

Links

• EU National Competition Authorities (Europa) government websites often include text of laws.
• OECD National Competition Authorities (OECD) government websites often include text of laws.
• Competition Authorities Worldwide (Federal Trade Commission) government websites often include text of laws.

Arbitration

• KnowledgeBank (Transnational Dispute Management) [BU]

Banking Law

Full-Text of Laws

• Banking Laws (NYU Central Banks Center)
• Doing Business (World Bank) includes Banking and Credit Laws
• Arab Banking Laws (POGAR) in Arabic

Guides and Reports

• Global Survey (Institute of International Bankers)
• Central Bank Research Hub (Bank for International Settlements)

Links

• Central Bank Websites (Bank for International Settlements) government websites often include text of laws.

Business Law

Full-Text of Laws

• Doing Business (World Bank) - Full-text business laws of many jurisdictions.
• Online Library (International Center for Not-for-Profit Law) Contains many laws relating to not-for-profit law, so often Company Laws can be found there.
• Transnational Law Database (Center for Transnational Law) like a digest of commercial law concepts with some links to national laws.
• Country Research and Legislation (European Corporate Goverance Institute)

Constitutional Law

Full-Text

• International Constitutional Law (University of Bern)
• Constitution Finder (University of Richmond)
• The Rise of Modern Constitutionalism 1776-1849 (University of Kassel)
• National Constitutions (Constitution Society)
• CODICES (Commission of Venice) database of constitutional court cases.
• PARLIT (Inter-Parliamentary Union) database of literature on parliamentary law and practice.

Guides and Reports

• Comparative Constitution Project (University of Illinois) is working on a project of which the following is the codebook The Comparative Constitutions Project: A Cross-National Historical Dataset of Written Constitutions
• Constitutionmaking.org (USIP and CCP) sample texts for drafting
• Comparative Constitutional Rights Chart (Human Rights and Constitutional Rights)

Regional

• Constitutions of the Americas and the Carribean (Georgetown Political Database of the Americas)
• Study of Comparative Constitutions for Muslim Countries (US Commission on International Religious Freedom)
• Laws and Constitutions (East African Cenre for Constitutional Development)
• Arab Constitutions (Programme on Governance in the Arab Region - UNDP) also has a thematic comparison section.
• East European Constitutional Review (NYU)

Criminal Law

Full-Text of Laws

• National Criminal Law (Organization of American States)
• OECD Anti-Bribery Convention: National Implementing Legislation (OECD)
• National Legislation Implementing the ICC (University of Nottingham)
• National Legislation on Organized Crime (ODCCP)
• Links to Foreign Penal Codes (University of Buffalo)
• Refworld Legal Collection (UNHCR) has some penal and criminal procedure codes.
• International Money Laundering Information Network (UNODC)(includes legislation for some countries)
• Legal Library (UNODC) drug and crime related legislation.

Guides and Reports

• International Criminal Law (ASIL)

Election Laws

Full-Text of Laws

• Electoral laws (Georgetown Political Database of the Americas)
• Political parties (Georgetown Political Database of the Americas)
• Electoral Knowledge Project (ACE)

Employment Laws

Full-Text Laws

• NatLex (International Labour Organization)
• National Implementing Legislation of EU Anti-Discrimination Directive (Europa)

Environmental Laws

Full-Text of Laws

• National Legislation Implementing Basel Convention on Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste (Basel Convention)
• EcoLex (United Nations Environment Programme) - has both legislation and case law from foreign jurisdictions
• FAOLex (Food and Agriculture Organization) contains environmental laws among other topics.
• FishLex (FAO) database of Coastal State Requirements for Foreign Fishing

Guides and Reports

• Community Based Property Rights Database (Center for International Environmental Law) covers several African countries
• Forest Legislation in Europe (FAO)
• ASEAN Project (Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law)
• Compendium of Energy Conservation Legislation in Countries of the Asia Pacific Region (UNESCAP)
• International Environmental Law (ASIL)

Health

Full-Text of Laws

• Argentina: LegiSalud
• Belgium: Ministry of Health, Food Safety and Environment
  • Under different topics hit "Legislation" button to see if there is legislation
• Canada: Legislation and Guidelines
• Croatia: Laws
• Czech Republic: Laws
• Denmark: Laws
• European Union: Health and Consumer Protection DG
  • Activities of the EU: Health
  • Health Protection Legislation
• France: Documentation
• Germany: Laws and Regulations
• Ireland: Legislation
• Netherlands: Laws and Regulations
• Philippines: Health Policies and Laws
• Singapore: Legislation
• Taiwan: Laws and Regulations
• Thailand: Policy Advocacy

Guides and Reports

• International Digest of Health Legislation (WHO)
• Popline (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) - includes information about laws affecting population (family, children, health).

Human Rights

Full-Text of Laws

• Refworld Legal Collection (UNHCR) has national legislation and decions
• Migration Law Database (IOM)
• Indigenous Legislation Index (InterAmerican Development Bank)
• Search Instruments (Child Rights Information Network) has some national legislation.

Guides and Reports

• Laws that Discriminate Against Women (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)

Humanitarian Law

Full-Text of Laws

• Biological Weapons Convention Implementing Legislation (Vertic)
• Legislation implementing SC Res 1540 on Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Weapons (UN)
• National Implementing Legislation Chemical Weapons Convention (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons)
• Nuclear Legislation in OECD Countries (Nuclear Energy Agency)

Guides and Reports

• International Humanitarian Law: National Implementing Legislation (ICRC) - contains exerpts of laws
• Guide to Genocide in Domestic Laws and Penal Codes (PreventGenocideInternational) - includes exerpts of laws

Intellectual Property

Full-Text of Laws

• Collection of Laws for Electronic Access CLEA (WIPO)
• Cultural Heritage Laws Database (UNESCO)
• Collection of National Copyright Laws (UNESCO)
• Links to National Laws (IP Menu)
• Intellectual Property Rights: National Legislation (OAS)
• Art and Cultural Property Law (IFAR)

Guides and Reports

• International Intellectual Property Law (ASIL)
• Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe: Legislation (Council of Europe)
• Review of Implementing Legislation TRIPS (WTO)

 

Media

Guides and Reports

• Legislation on Community Radio Broadcasting (UNESCO)
• Media Legislation in Africa (UNESCO) - summaries
• Telecommunications Laws and Regulations by Region (ITU)

Non-Profit Organizations

Full-Text of Laws

• Country Codes and Laws (Council on Foundations)
• Online Library (International Center for Not-for-Profit Law) Contains many laws relating to not-for-profit law, so often Company Laws can be found there.

Other

• Road-Safety Legislation Database (World Health Organization)
• Civil Codes of the World on the Web (Louisiana State University)
• Public Administration (UNPAN) select a region and then look under legislation
• Disability Rights Laws (DREDF)
• Country Budget Laws (World Bank)
• Policies Relating to Web Accessibility (Web Accessibility Initiative)
• International Data Privacy Laws (Information Shield)

Tax Law

Full-Text of Laws

• United States Tax Treaties from A-Z (IRS) and Tax Treaty Documents (Dept. of Treasury)
• Canadian Tax Treaties (Department of Finance)
• Irish Tax Treaties (Ministry of Revenue)
• Korean Tax Treaties (National Tax Service) and Laws
• New Zealand Tax Treaties (Inland Revenue)
• Singaporian Tax Treaties (Inland Revenue)
• Swiss Tax Treaties (Swiss government)
• United Kingdom Tax Treaties (HM Revenue and Customs)

Links

• Tax and Accounting Sites Directory (AccountantsWorld) links by country often lead to full-text of laws.

Trade Law

Full-Text of Laws

• Compendium of Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duty Laws in the Western Hemisphere (FFTA)
• Notification of National Implementing Legislation (WTO)
• Foreign Trade Information System (OAS)