BeLaws brings the Belgian law to the web 2.0
BeLaws, a project under the iRail NPO, brings the Belgian law to the web 2.0. The online applications “prettifies” the publications in the official Belgian Gazette, making them easier to search and read. This innovative website can be invaluable for journalists as well as for politicians.
On the homepage, the database can be searched. The results can then be filtered by type of text (decree, resolution, law, …), geographical area, and the politicians who signed the law. The displayed search result is formatted tidily, making the text more readible, but the original source text is available as well. Don’t hesitate to give it a try, by searching for “onderwijs” (education) for example.
Other than searching the Belgian law, some statistics are also available. An interactive diagram shows which politicians have signed laws together, based on the available data in the database. This way, it becomes clear to what extent certain parties or individual politicians work together with other parties and politicians, including over the language border.
The system is in bèta, so it will be refined. Some laws are still missing from the database, and searching is not yet possible in all of the country’s official languages. When the concept will be further developed, missing laws will be added and searching the database in French and German will be enabled.
The website is developed by Tim Esselens, and any questions can be directed to Pieter of iRail (+32 486 74 71 22 or through the contact form on this website).
