European Documentation Centre
{{About|a current official organisation of the European Union|the historic political organisation|European Documentation and Information Centre}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Politics of the European Union}}
A European Documentation Centre (EDC) is a body designated by the European Commission to collect and disseminate publications of the European Union for the purposes of research and education. There are 400 such centers in all member states of the EU.European Documentation Centers at the European Union: [http://europa.eu/europedirect/meet_us/index_en.htm#documentation_centres europa.eu] retrieved 28-May-2012 The mandate of an EDC is to receive all official EU publications, documents, contracts and electronic databases then make them available to researchers, educators, students, and interested members of the general public. The centers are also legal depositories of Acquis communautaire (EU law).[https://archive.today/20120708144719/http://eurovoc.europa.eu/210682 EuroVoc: Community acquis] retrieved 28-May-2012 Although primarily academic in nature, anyone can visit an EDC to consult official EU publications.
History and organisation
European Documentation Centres were founded in 1963 by the European Commission. They are predominantly located at universities, university libraries, affiliated academic institutions, and non-university research institutes, both public and private. EU policy is that at least one EDC should be located in each region of a European Union member state. Candidate states and other countries can also have a designated EDC, supported jointly with local university libraries and the European Commission.Chulalongkorn University Bangkok: [http://www.car.chula.ac.th/iic/html/edc.htm European Documentation Centre] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060909152112/http://www.car.chula.ac.th/iic/html/edc.htm |date=2006-09-09 }}EDC at Baptist University Hong Kong: [http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~europe/edc/edc.html European Documentation Centre] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141202163204/http://europe.hkbu.edu.hk/edc/edc.html |date=2014-12-02 }} EDCs are distinct from European Information Centers (EIC), which are geared more to the general public and consumer affairs.
The official purpose of the centres is:
- Assist Universities and Institutes in education and research
- Contribute to the transparency of European decision-making
- Promote active debate on European policy and European integration
- Assist interested members of the public to learn about EU policies in more depth.
Function
The European Documentation Centres collect documents and publications that they receive from the various official institutions of the European Union. They also provide training and advice on the organisation and use of electronic information generated by EU institutions. EDCs also provide direct support to the academic staff and employees at universities and institutions in their research and teaching on European integration process.
Official EU Publications:European Union Official Publications and Documentation: [http://europa.eu/documentation/index_en.htm europa.eu] retrieved 28-May-2012
- Proceedings of the European Commission
- Official Journal of the European Union
- European Union Contracts
- Rulings of the European Court
- Statistical publications of the Publishing Department (OPOCE)
- Legislative Observatory of European Parliaments
- Other official documents
Official EU Databases:
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://europa.eu/europedirect/meet_us/index_en.htm EU Information Centres and Networks]
- [http://europa.eu/europedirect/meet_us/interactive_map/index_en.htm Searchable map of Documentation Centres]
- [http://cordis.europa.eu/home_en.html CORDIS]
- [http://curia.europa.eu/ Curia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126225721/http://curia.europa.eu/jurisp/cgi-bin/form.pl?lang=en |date=2011-11-26 }}
- [http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ Eurostat]
- [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm EurLex]
- [http://ec.europa.eu/prelex/apcnet.cfm PreLex]
- [http://europa.eu/scadplus/scad_en.htm Scadplus]
- [http://ted.europa.eu/ TED]
- [http://ec.europa.eu/europedirect/visit_us/edc/index_de.htm Europe Direct - Europäische Dokumentationszentren]
{{Eu-directorates-general}}
{{European Union topics|state=collapsed}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Publications of the European Union establishments