Provides in-house counsel in accordance with the Basic Texts of the Organization, gives legal advisory services to FAO members, assists in the formulation of treaties on food and agriculture, publishes legal studies and maintains a database on national legislation (called FAOLEX: contains abstracts of treaties, laws and regulations on food, agriculture and renewable natural resources world-wide)
WWW site includes access to database, full text and status of conventions and agreements concluded under Article XIV of the FAO Constitution, as well as those treaties concluded outside the framework of FAO in respect of which the Director-General exercises depositary functions, and full text of legal papers series