EU knowledge bank

Behind every good article, paper or publication is a complicated process of finding the relevant data. On this page you will find some of the CEP researchers' most used links in Europe-related research. We hope it will be useful in your studies.

To begin with, it might be a good idea to check the official websites of the relevant EU institutions such as the European Commission, European Parliament, European Council, Council of Ministers, Court of Justice, European Central Bank (ECB), and European External Action Service.

Furthermore, it is possible to gather more specific informations. Below you can see some of the CEP researchers' favourite databases.

The European Commission

Through the homepage of the European Commission you can find summaries of EU legislation and information on how the rulings of the European Court of Justice is effectuated. You can search for EU lawtexts in EUR-Lex, and follow the decision-making process in PreLex. Here you will find the various treaties, draft legislations in different fases of the decision-making process, parliamentary questions, etc. In Eurostat you can locate statistics regarding the member states of the EU, and Eurobarometer offers survey data on the european citizens attitudes towards different societal issues. You can thereby easily gather facts that among other things can be used for comparative studies. Furthermore you can gain acces to the yearly Commission Work Programme.

Elected and employed in the EU

EU Whoiswho gives you a good overview of the people within the EU machinery. The website has a good search function for identifying key persons within a specific field. You can also find their contact informations.

Votewatch
In spite of the Parliament's central role in the European law-making process, there are many myths about the MPs' voting behaviour. Researchers from LSE and Université Libre have created this site which gives you an overview of the voting behaviour in the European Parliament. You can also find reviews on the voting behaviour in the Council of Ministers.

European Election Database
The European Election Database collects information on elections and voting in European countries from 1990 and on. It is possible to compare election results between countries and regions and across time aswell.

Transparency Register
The Transparency Register gives you an insight into who is trying to influence the European policy making. You can search on different policy areas as well as different types of organisations. However, please note that registration is voluntary, wherefore the register does not encompass the full extent of lobbying in the EU.

Denmark and the EU
The EU has a growing impact on the Danish law-making process. Folketingets EU Information Centre provides useful information on the Danish implementation of EU legislation, the Danish opt-outs, etc. Information on the positions of the Danish parties in EU politics can be found through Folketingets Udenrigspolitiske Nævn (NB! The website is only available in Danish).

European Social Survey (ESS)
European Social Survey is an academically driven survey with the purpose of measuring, as precisely as possible through quantitative methods, the development in the attitudes of the Europeans to societal and social questions and issues.

European Navigator
European Navigator gives you acces to multimedia material on important European events, institutions and key persons.

News
EURactiv
EUobserver
Coulisses de Bruxelles (in French)

CEP publications

The CEP researchers often publish new work on the EU.
You can find the publications here.