Comment

THE CIVIL CODES of most European countries have, for several decades, required official publication of company details in government gazettes. Thus librarians in each EEC country have enjoyed the availability of an official bulletin, published daily or bi‐weekly: in France, for example, it is called Bulletin officiel des annonces commerciales, a daily document of 70–80 double column pages containing full details of registrations, changes and cessations of all forms of business enterprises, (not only limited companies), together with an index to all personal and business names mentioned. The publication started in 1926 and now costs 50 centimes per issue or Frs 60 in France (c £5) per year. Similar documents at comparable prices are published by the other EEC governments and Denmark too.