Das sind "Erwägungen".
"Erwägungsgründe" kann man aber m.E.genau so übersetzen, ist bloß ein bißchen komplizierteres Gesülze auf Deutsch. hat sich wieder einer mächtig angestrengt, damit's unverständlicher wird.

in view of the guideline

statement of reasons for the guideline

I keep finding "recitals" used in official EU English translations of German documents.

Erwägungsgründe

in Erwägung nachstehender Gründe: (vollst. Sätze)
oder: in der Erwägung, daß
in Kenntnis / unter Hinweis auf
gemäß, in Einklang mit
eingedenk
nimmt zur Kenntnis
unter Hinweis auf (considerings,

recitals) Whereases (=since) bei EU

Whereas...

having regard to
pursuant to, in accordance with
cognizient
notes that
noting that

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Note added at 2003-01-21 22:02:26 (GMT)
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The reference for my text is: http://www.konferenzberatung.de/NDM/doc/DigiLab NDM-153.htm

There are so many ways to express this...!

In the subchapters of the directive


I would say. Note that practically all are numbered

http://www.rechtsprobleme.at/doks/urteile/amateurfoto.html

Skip the Erwägung part.
Or directive, whatever..

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Note added at 2003-01-22 14:49:44 (GMT)
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If you need the specificity I would go with the recitals, particularly if this word has emerged or been referred to before in the text.
Otherwise, just reasons (reasons have always been contemplated at one point or another of an evaluation, hence the prefix is redundant, it seems)

A Richtlinie of the EU is known as a directive. There are no circumstances in which you can call it anything else and be understood. These Erwägungsgründe are referred to as recitals in English. They are sometimes called "whereas clauses" but that is less correct since not all of them begin with that word. They are not subchapters but a series of statements that precedes the text of the directive proper. It is essential to specify if something appears in the recitals to a directive rather than in the main text because the legal effects are quite different.
hth

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Note added at 2003-01-22 13:34:01 (GMT)
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Afterthought: I suppose you could use \"preamble\" if for any reason you think recitals would go over the heads of your readers. It\'s not standard usage but the idea is much the same.