The site currently has four main sections, each aimed at a different audiences:
- Citizens (including ‘Going to court’, ‘Family matters’, ‘Legal aid’, ‘Costs of proceedings’)
- Businesses (including business, insolvency and land registers, ‘Going to court’, ‘Mediation’)
- Legal practitioners (including ‘Law’, ‘Case law’, ‘Judicial systems’, ‘Videoconferencing’)
- Judiciary (including ‘Tools for courts and practitioners’, ‘Judicial Training’, ‘Funding’, ‘Legal professions and justice networks’).

The four sections are presented on the main page of the site, which also includes tabs to access ‘Content’ and ‘Recent update’ pages, with the former presenting the site pages without the focus on specific audiences.

The site offers a mix of information about EU-level legislation and initiatives and details of rules and services in individual Member States. For example, the pages on mediation include an ‘EU overview’ which summarises the 2008 Mediation Directive and links to the full text, as well as giving links to pages about mediation in each Member State. The pages are written specifically for this initiative, rather than simply linking to existing national sites.

Whilst it’s clearly impossible for a quick tour to take in any more than a handful of the thousands of pages available, first impressions are that this is a genuinely useful site that should be bookmarked by all of us who have need to use - or advise others to use - information on justice-related issues. And it also looks like a strong contender for the EIA Awards for European Information Sources ...

Waltzing Matilda
This strangely-named blog, which started on 19 April this year, claims to ‘look with wonder and surprise and a critical eye at evolutions and revolutions in the world of social media.' Although that doesn’t sound immediately relevant to EU-watchers, the blog is written by staff in the European Commission’s DG Communication and brings together an interesting mix of news and observations on the use of social media by the Commission. Recent items concern:
- the use of social media by the Commission Representation in the UK, spearheaded by Head of Media, Antonia Mochan;
- problems associated with inaccurate Wikipedia content (based on the case of Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani being misquoted as stating that tourism is a human right;
- news that the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is actively promoting EU Careers on Facebook and Twitter
- the effectiveness of social media in improving the Commission’s online communication.

Well written, thought-provoking and informative. What more could you ask of a blog?

This question was received recently:
We have been asked by one of the lawyers here about the status of legislation within Eur-Lex. Regulation 1782/2003 still appears, but we know that is was repealed by 73/2009. Is there any way on Eur-Lex to find out the status of EU Regulations?

Eric answered:

There is no doubt that the act has been withdrawn. However, EUR-lex is a database of all EU legislation, not only acts in force.
If you do a search by 'natural number' using 2003 and 1782, you should get 10 hits - see

- use the EUR-Lex this results page. If you go to the main entry - 32003R1782 - and choose 'bibliographic notice' (or 'bibliographic notice + text') you'll see

- use the EUR-Lex this page.

Scroll to the section 'Amended by', where the last item says 'Repealed by 32009R0073' - exactly as you said. However - and somewhat disconcertingly - if you don't check the bib record and go direct to either the html or pdf full text, you'll get the text with no warning that it is no longer in force. That may be what you or your client have done, and is certainly something to be aware of.
Another option is to check the Directory of Community Legislation in Force (DOCLIF). I can't see that the 1 May 2010 version has any reference to the Regulation being live - the relevant section can be easier to scan using the pdf versions offered and using the standard ctrl + f option.