University Library > FNBSLW/POLISCI 491 - International Business Law

FNBSLW 491 & POLISCI 491
Introduction to International Business Law: Travel Study

Central Government Sites

Guide to Government (United Kingdom, Directgov)
Find information about the government, Prime Minister, Parliament, political parties, and the UK and the European Union.

Ireland: Information on the Irish State (Government of Ireland)
Learn about government departments, state organisations, and business information. Also offers links to sites for the President, Houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament), Taoiseach (Prime Minister), the Irish Statute Book and many other useful sources.

Northern Ireland Office
This office supports the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (a member of Parliament) and is responsible primarily for constitutional and security issues. About the NIO provides further information on the office's role.

Main European Union Sites

Europa: Gateway to the European Union
Link to the European Union site in your choice of languages. Here's the English language site.

European Union in the U.S.
Find news, law and policy overviews, EU member countries, an index of EU Web sites and lot of other useful tools for navigating the universe of EU information.

European Union Institution Sites

Council of the European Union
The site for the major decision-making body of the EU offers its activities, policies, documents, Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) and news.

Court of Justice of the European Communities
Learn about the inner workings of the Court of Justice, its members, composition, sessions, procedures, case law and European Union law.

European Commission
According to the Commission Web site, its four major roles are "to propose legislation to Parliament and the Council, to administer and implement Community policies, to enforce Community law (jointly with the Court of Justice) and to negotiate international agreements, mainly those relating to trade and cooperation." The site offers a tremendous amount of information which is arranged by categories within the themes.

European Court of Auditors
This independent body audits the finances of the European Union, issuing audit reports and opinions to ensure that EU funds are managed properly.

European Data Protector Supervisor
The protection of personal data is guaranteed by the European Union and this watchdog agency oversees that protection.

European Ombudsman
If you've got issues with an EU institution, this 'Bud's for you. The European Ombudsman investigates complaints of EU institution maladministration by citizens of EU member countries.

European Parliament
Whether you want to visit Parliament or examine its inner-workings, learn more from the site of the main deliberative and legislative institution of the European Union.

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Guides to Researching European Union Law

CELEX Database: A Guide to European Union Law (Norman Nunn-Price; 3rd ed. edited by Lorna Ailes)
This handy guide will help users navigate the CELEX, the massive database of EU legislation. CELEX covers treaties, agreements, legislation, case law, and directives of member countries that carry out EU mandates.

Guide to Irish Law (Darius Whelan, LLRX.com)
This handy guide outlines the legal system in Ireland, providing links to various types of laws or explanations of where the information is published.

European Union Law

EUR-LEX: The Portal to European Union Law
A handy interface for navigating treaties, legislation and case law for the EU.

European Union Law (CELEX Database) (LexisNexis) UWW access only
Search EU cases, EU legislation, EU Parliamentary questions, EU Preparatory Acts, EU treaties, and National Provisions Implementing Directives using the handy LexisNexis interface.

Westlaw Campus (West Publishing) UWW access only
From the main Westlaw menu, you can search European Competition Law Review, European Human Rights Reports, European Human Rights Law Review, European Union Preparatory Acts, All European Union Materials, European Union Case Law Locator, European Union Case Law, European Union Cases All, European Union Legislation, European Union OJ C Series, European Union Parliamentary Questions, European Union Treaties, European Law Review, United Kingdom Current Awareness - European Union, United Kingdom Human Rights Case Law Locator.

European News Sources

BBC News (British Broadcasting Corporation)
Read current European and world news, watch video news or listen to the BBC World Service on the BBC Web site.

Belfast Telegraph
For current European and world news, peppered with colorful language, try the Belfast Telegraph.

Economist.com (The Economist)
Read the latest global economic news from a European perspective. Also search the Economist via LexisNexis (UWW access only) for an archive of fulltext articles and for current articles that require a subscription.

EuroNews
Euronews is television's answer to the EU (it's a consortium of European public service broadcasters). This site is a great place to look for current and breaking European news, commentary and interviews. Stories can be viewed, heard or read in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish.

FT.com (Financial Times)
Get the latest financial news from a European perspective. Also search the Financial Times via LexisNexis (UWW access only) for the archive of fulltext articles.

Independent (London)
Read local, European and world news from the Independent.

Irish Times (Dublin)
View the headlines and read top stories from the Irish Times. Some content requires a paid subscription.

Irish Independent (Dublin)
View the headlines and read top stories from the Irish Independent. Free registration is required to see many of the full stories.

Live Radio on the Web: Ireland (Mike's Radio World)
Listen to Irish radio stations online.

Times Online (London)
Get real-time news from The Times.

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Article and News Databases

ABI/Inform Global (ProQuest: 1971- ) UWW access only
Indexes more than 1,300 business publications including 600 journals with full text from 1992 to present.

Business Full Text (WilsonWeb: 1982- ) UWW access only
Indexes and abstracts articles from more than 345 English-language periodicals published in the United States and elsewhere, including the leading business magazines and trade and research journals, plus the partial/full text of over 160 of those periodicals. Partial/full text coverage begins in January 1995.

Business Source Elite (EBSCOhost) UWW access only
Provides comprehensive access to abstracts and indexing for over 1500 titles, plus searchable full text for more than 750 business periodicals.

LexisNexis Academic (LexisNexis) UWW access only
This database covers thousands of magazines, journals, newswires, and newspapers, including foreign language news and many international publications. Choose News or Business to search for news and articles about companies from business magazines, industry trade journals, newspapers and newswires. These are some of the important areas to search:

  • Business News (from the News menu) - search news from business & finance publications or industry and trade publications
  • Industry & Market (from the Business menu) - search news by selecting publications from a specific industry (such as Automotive & transportation news)
  • General News (from the News menu) - search major U.S. and world newspapers and magazines
  • World News (from the News menu) - search regional news from the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East/Africa.
  • SEARCH tips - Use ! as the truncation symbol; w/p will find two words of phrases within the same paragraph (venture capital w/p ireland); w/s will find two words or phrases within the same sentence (software industry w/s ireland); w/25 will find two words or phrases within 25 words of one another

ProQuest Newspapers (ProQuest)
Full text articles and citations from more than 500 U.S. and foreign newspapers including Irish Times (Dublin), BBC news wires, Times (London) and many other European papers.

International Trade - Treaties & Trade Organizations

Juris International (International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO-ITC & LexUM of the Center for Research in Public Law at the University of Montreal)
This site is a collection of 30,000 pages of contracts, conventions and laws on international trade (in English, Spanish, and French). Search by keyword or select from subject menus.

Revised Guide to International Trade Law Sources on the Internet (Marci Hoffman, Law Library Resource Xchange, LLC)
This detailed guide provides links to sites covering topics such as trade agreements, dispute resolution, and international trade organizations.

SICE: Foreign Trade Information System (Organization of American States: Trade Unit)
Includes the fulltext of trade agreements, treaties, dispute settlements. Includes trade data and in-depth information on many trade issues.

Trade Compliance Center (U.S. Dept. of Commerce's International Trade Administration)
Includes sections on understanding trade agreements (such as NAFTA and various WTO agreements), reporting trade barriers and researching countries.

United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)
This site has the fulltext of international laws, treaties, and agreements dealing with trade.

World Intellectual Property Organization (Geneva, Switzerland)
Learn about international protection for patents, trademarks and industrial design.

World Trade Organization (WTO)
Find the text of trade agreements, such as GATT on the WTO site. The WTO Trade Topics section of the site is a gateway to many trade topics.

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Handy Sites for International Travelers

Everyday English and Slang in Ireland: Cead Mile Failte
If you're a buzzy, don't be flummoxed by the local lingo.

Foreign Entry Requirements (U.S. Dept. of State)
Do you need a visa or vaccination to visit Ireland or India or Gabon -- or must you register with the police upon arrival? Find out foreign entry requirements on this handy site from the State Dept.

Irish Culture (Kathryn Conrad, Univ. of Kansas)
Want a taste of Irish culture? Link to sites for archaeology, mythology, literature, history, religion -- as well as a section on Northern Ireland.

OANDA Currency Converter (Olson and Associates)
Find current exchange rates from one currency to any other currency.

Tourist Advice: Explore Ireland (Irish Times)
From advice on what to pack and how much to tip, to safety precautions and social customs, this site is worth visiting before your trip.

Weather Ireland (Irish Times)
Do you need to carry your brellie today? Check the local and regional weather in Ireland including information on tides and a downtown Dublin weather cam. See the Celsius-Fahrenheit temp converter at the bottom of the Weather Ireland page.

Websites of U.S. Embassies and Consulates (U.S. Dept. of State)
Locate U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. Here are links to U.S. citizen services in Dublin, London, and in Belfast.

Related Library Research Guides

Business Law (University Library Selected Resources on the Internet)
Covers anti-trust, bankruptcy, intellectual property, securities law, tax law and international commercial law.

International Business (University Library Selected Resources on the Internet)
Find sources for importing, exporting and doing business abroad. Covers country information, economic development, banking & finance, government, labor & employment, trade statistics and the legal & regulatory environment.

Sources of Business Information: Countries (University Library Guide)
Includes more detailed information on countries, such as economic indicators, foreign direct investment, population and statistics.

Articles to Read for Class

Series of articles from The Economist, October 16, 2004. (ProQuest) UWW access only

Old Continent, New Deal. Martha Neil. ABA Journal. Sep, 2004. Vol. 90. (ProQuest) UWW access only

Articles from National Geographic, May, 2004. (Academic Search Elite, EBSCOhost) UWW access only

America, Wake Up to the European Dream. Jeremy Rifkin. Washington Post. Oct. 31, 2004. (ProQuest) UWW access only