The Council of the European Union (EU) has taken action to make the electronic version of the Official Journal of the European Union official.
The Official Journal is the definitive record of all legislation, regulation and other legal acts implemented within the EU, and is available in all 23 of the official languages of the EU. Until now, the printed version of the Official Journal has been the only legally binding version of EU law, despite its long-time availability in electronic form. This has required the printing and distribution of each daily edition in each official language, creating immense logistical challenges and perpetuating an outdated and ecologically problematic mode of communication.
In its Regulation issued in March 2013, the EU Council moved to give the electronic version of the Official Journal equal legal status with the printed version. Under the Regulation, the electronic version “shall be authentic and shall produce legal effects,” and be available online and free of charge “in a non-obsolete format and for an unlimited period.” The Regulation is expected to take effect as of July 2013.
Access to the on-line version of the Official Journal of the European Union.
