lawyer

Marylin Johnson Raisch is the Librarian for International and Foreign Law at the John Wolff International and Comparative Law Library of the Georgetown Law Center. She received her J.D. from Tulane University School of Law (1980) with work both in civil and common law courses as well as international law and Roman law. She holds degrees in English literature from Smith College ( B.A. magna cum laude 1973) and St. Hugh's College, Oxford (M.Litt. 1978). She received her M.L.S. degree from Columbia University School of Library Service in 1988 and has worked as a law librarian for fifteen years, ten of which were at Columbia University School of Law as International and Foreign Law Librarian. Marylin has edited (with Roberta I. Shaffer) the resulting volume of proceedings, Transnational Legal Transactions (Oceana, 1995) and is the author of several articles, book reviews, and web guides on international and foreign legal research. Recent examples include the chapter "European Union: Basic Legal Sources" in Rehberg and Popa, Accidental Tourist on the New Frontier: An Introductory Guide to Global Legal Research (Littleton, CO: Rothman, 1998) and other legal research guides at LLRX as well as Religious Legal Systems: A Brief Guide to Research and Its Role in Comparative Law (2006).

The European Union is a twenty-seven member political entity with its population now almost half a billion. This common market and its "ever-closer union"europa.eu/abc/european_countries/index_en.htm .

There are five major institutions in the European Union: the twenty-seven member Commission, the Council, the European Parliament, the Court of Justice, and the Court of Auditors. The Commission proposes legislation and policies, the Council approves legislation and can propose legislation of its own, and the Parliament gives its opinion on proposals, amended proposals, and addresses questions to the Commission. The Court of Justice enforces the legislation under the Treaties, and the Court of Auditors examines expenses and revenue of the Communities. See "Key players in EU legislation ,"europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/about/pap/index.html

eesc.europa.eu/ .

www.cor.europa.eu/ contributes opinions and consultations for the implementation of many EU policies at the closest regional or national level under the principle of subsidiarity emphasized in the Maastricht agreement.

The Treaty on European Union established a more cohesive intergovernmental entity supporting three "pillars" or spheres of operation:

1. EC law as well as economic institutions and activities