European Law

"La doctrina del TJCE sobre las acciones de oro: entre la construcción del Mercado interior y los retos de la intervención pública en los mercados globales. Reflexiones acerca de la STJCE de 26 de marzo de 2009, asunto C-326/07", Revista Española de Derecho Europeo, núm. 33, 2010 , p. 123-156

by Endrius Cocciolo

Co-authored with Carlos Padrós

During nearly a decade, the ECJ, driven by European Commission, has confronted complex issues generated by public... more During nearly a decade, the ECJ, driven by European Commission, has confronted complex issues generated by public intervention of Member States in strategic companies through the so rolled "golden shares". The resulting jurisprudence - born in the historical context of the third phase of EMU and after years of massive privatizations - had the virtue of fostering free movement of capitals. However, and despite the wording of article 295 TEC, this approach eroded States' aspirations of influencing private undertakings providing services of general interest. Today, European governments try to recover lost ground intervening in global markets by several forms of corporate governance in those firms. In the light of challenges of new global economic law, all forms of public intervention should be examined, and golden shares are still a valid field of administrative experimentation. The recent ECJ judgement of 26 march 2009, might indicate an evolution in respect to traditional Court case law about golden share. New arguments of ECJ judgement might overcome public intervention analysis based only on a domestic economic context and might offer new tools for challenges posed by public intervention in global markets.

"Security of Energy Supply: When Could National Policy Take Precedence Over European Law?", Energy Law Journal, vol. 31, 2010

by Endrius Cocciolo

Co-authored with Carlos Padrós

The European Energy Market is currently under construction. In this complex process Member States have traditionally... more The European Energy Market is currently under construction. In this complex process Member States have traditionally retained the power to secure each State’s energy supply as a matter of national security. However, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has recently issued several judgments in which national policies are declared to be in breach of core European Union (EU) principles: free movement of capital and freedom of establishment. The article explores the risks of adopting this approach (negative integration) without a clear European regulatory framework (positive integration). Dismantling national regulatory controls without providing a true European alternative can result in a critical precedence of free market over national administrative law.

R. Zahn, ‘Trade Unions and New Member State Workers in Germany and the UK’ (2011) International Journal of Comparative Labour Law and Industrial Relations 139 – 164

by Rebecca Zahn

This article examines and compares German and British trade union responses in a European context following the recent... more This article examines and compares German and British trade union responses in a European context following the recent European enlargements in 2004 and 2007 which are unprecedented in the history of the European Union. In particular, the article examines two case studies to explore how trade unions have responded to increased migration following the enlargements. Increased migration has created a number of problems for trade unions which are examined in the case studies. The findings of the case studies are used to undertake a contextualised comparison of trade union behaviour in responding to the changing regulatory and opportunity structures which present themselves following the enlargements. Account is taken of the role that trade unions adopt within their national legal systems as well as of the effects of the European Union’s policy of Europeanisation on national trade unions. The article concludes by elaborating a number of recommendations based on the analysis.

R. Zahn & B. de Witte, ‘La prospettiva dell'Unione europea: dare preminenza al mercato interno o rivedere la dottrina Laval?’ (2011) Giornale di diritto del lavoro e di relazioni industriali 433 – 446

by Rebecca Zahn

The Swedish Labour Court handed down its decision in the Laval case on 2nd December 2009. The Labour Court applied EU... more The Swedish Labour Court handed down its decision in the Laval case on 2nd December 2009. The Labour Court applied EU law principles on state liability to private parties in order to find a trade union liable for damages for taking unlawful collective action. However, the broad interpretation given by the Labour Court to EU law is problematic for a number of reasons. The revised EU constitutional framework, following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty also puts in a new perspective not only the judgment of the Labour Court but also the ECJ’s own ruling in Laval. In light of these concerns, this paper questions whether the Labour Court adopted the right approach in dealing with the question of liability for violations of EU law and discusses some of the wider concerns that the judgment raises.

Sentenze di un anno - Regolamento n. 44 del 2001 (Bruxelles I)

by Michele Angelo Lupoi

Pubblicato sulla Rivista di diritto internazionale privato e processuale, 2012

Si tratta di una rassegna sulla giurispudenza della Corte di giustizia in materia di regolamento n. 44 del 2001... more Si tratta di una rassegna sulla giurispudenza della Corte di giustizia in materia di regolamento n. 44 del 2001 (Bruxelles I), da fine 2010 ad aprile 2012.

La proposta di modifica del regolamento n. 44 del 2001: le norme sulla giurisdizione

by Michele Angelo Lupoi

Il saggio è pubblicato sul volume di scritti offerti al prof. Federico Carpi, dal titolo Giustizia senza confini (Bologna, 2012)

Il saggio esamina la proposta della Commissione di revisione del regolamento UE n. 44 del 2001 sulla giurisdizione, il... more Il saggio esamina la proposta della Commissione di revisione del regolamento UE n. 44 del 2001 sulla giurisdizione, il riconoscimento e l'esecuzione delle decisioni in materia civile e commerciale nei rapporti tra gli Stati membri. L'attenzione è concentrata sulle norme in materia di giurisdizione.

Indirect Expropriation and the Right to Regulate: Revisiting Proportionality Analysis and the Standard of Review in Investor-State Arbitration

by Caroline Henckels

Preliminary References - Analyzing the Determinants that Made the ECJ the Powerful Court It Is

by Lars Hornuf

Co-authored with Stefan Voigt

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is a very powerful court compared to other international courts and even national... more The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is a very powerful court compared to other international courts and even national courts of last resort. Observers almost unanimously agree that it is the preliminary references procedure that made the ECJ the powerful court it is today. In this paper, we analyze the determinants that lead national courts to use the procedure. We add to previous studies by constructing a comprehensive panel dataset (1982–2008), including more potentially relevant explanatory variables and by testing for the robustness of previous results. In addition to confirming the relevance of variables previously found significant, we identify a number of additional determinants, including the relevance of agriculture to a country, corporate tax rate, familiarity with EU law, and tenure of democracy.

Incorporating under European Law: The Societas Europaea as a Vehicle for Legal Arbitrage

by Lars Hornuf

Co-authored with Horst Eidenmueller and Andreas Engert

After a slow start, the European Company (Societas Europaea, SE) has become increasingly popular. Beside documenting... more After a slow start, the European Company (Societas Europaea, SE) has become increasingly popular. Beside documenting the growth of this new company type, we examine whether firms choose to incorporate in the SE corporate form because they engage in 'legal arbitrage' by exploiting differences in legal rules between jurisdictions. We specify a number of hypotheses on particular legal arbitrage motives. To validate our hypotheses, we use a broad telephone survey among SE users in Germany as well as a simple country-level regression model based on a unique, hand-collected dataset on SE incorporations. We find strong evidence that firms use the SE to mitigate the effect of mandatory co-determination rules. Establishing a one-tier board structure (in jurisdictions that impose a two-tier structure on their national public companies) and taking advantage of the SE's mobility for tax purposes also seem to be driving SE formations. By contrast, our analysis fails to support the suggestion that firms use the SE to shop for the most favourable national company law to fill the gaps in the SE Regulation.

British pubs, decoder cards, and the future of intellectual property licensing in the European Union after Murphy.

by Anastasios Kaburakis

With Lindholm, J, and Rodenberg, R.

October 4, 2011 marked a new era in global sports media rights. On this day, the Grand Chamber of the European Court... more October 4, 2011 marked a new era in global sports media rights. On this day, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) delivered its judgment in FA Premier League et al. v. QC Leisure et al. & Murphy v. Media Protection Services Ltd (“Murphy”). Murphy decided upon the legality of a scheme whereby the holder of intellectual property rights to a sporting event licenses the right to broadcast the event on a national exclusivity basis.

Comunicazioni elettroniche: I limiti al controllo della Rete nel Diritto dell'Unione europea

by Manuel David Masseno

Seminário no Programa de Doutoramento "Comparazione e diritti della persona", na Università degli Studi di Salerno, Itália. 09/05/2012

Special Territories in European Union and North Cyprus: A Sui Generis Relationship Under Community Law

by Uluslararası İlişkiler

Hacer Soykan Adaoğlu, " Special Territories in European Union and North Cyprus: A Sui Generis Relationship Under Community Law ", Uluslararası İlişkiler, Cilt 6, Sayı 23 (Güz), 2009

Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti, 1 Mayıs 2004 tarihinde, Kıbrıs’ın bütününü temsilen Avrupa Birliği (AB) üyesi olmuştur. Bu... more Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti, 1 Mayıs 2004 tarihinde, Kıbrıs’ın bütününü temsilen Avrupa Birliği (AB) üyesi olmuştur. Bu nedenle, ayrı bir devlet olarak tanınmamakla birlikte Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti (KKTC) AB sınırları içinde yer almakta, ancak İç Pazar alanı dışında kalmaktadır. AB, Kuzey Kıbrıs’ı, AB içinde özel bir bölge haline getiren bir takım hukuki düzenlemeler getirmiştir. Ancak, AB içinde özel hukuki rejim uygulanan başka bölgeler de vardır. Bu çalışmada, AB ve Kuzey Kıbrıs arasındaki hukuki ilişki, AB ve diğer özel bölgeler hukuki ilişkisi ile karşılaştırılarak incelenmiştir. Bu inceleme sonucunda, Kuzey Kıbrıs’ın, diğer bölgelerle olan farkı, AB içindeki statü, hukuki düzenlemeler ve iç pazara erişim olanakları göz önüne alınarak belirlenmeye çalışılmıştır.

Competitiveness and Excessive Imbalances: A Balance Sheet Approach.

by Stefan Collignon

A critique of the Excessive Imbalance Procedure, the Alert Mechanism Report, the TARGET2 debate

This note argues that some imbalances in the euro Area are actually a sign of successful economic integration and... more This note argues that some imbalances in the euro Area are actually a sign of successful economic integration and should not be repressed. The mechanisms of monetary union will hold the Euro Area together as long as the ECB assures banks of the necessary liquidity.
Imposing limits on TARGET balances between national central banks would end monetary union.
The real issue is competitiveness, which is measured by shifts in trade shares and unit labour cost levels. A new indicator for wage developments is presented, which allows assessing when labour costs are under- or overvalued.
9 concrete policy proposals are made.

La Cybercrime: Appunti sugli atteggiamenti dell'Unione europea

by Manuel David Masseno

Seminário no Programa de Doutoramento "Comparazione e diritti della persona", na Università degli Studi di Salerno, Itália. 08/05/2012

La disciplina della Privacy in Europa, prospettive immediate

by Manuel David Masseno

Seminário no Programa de Doutoramento "Comparazione e diritti della persona", na Università degli Studi di Salerno, Itália. 07/05/2012.

Critique and Crisis Stream for CLC12

by Can Öztaş

National plurality within single statehood in the European Union

by Carlos Closa

Constitutional Rigidity and Procedures for Ratifying Constitutional Reforms in EU Member StatesReforms in EU Member States

by Carlos Closa

in Benz, Arthur and Felix Knüpling (eds.) (2012) Changing federal constitutions

When constitutional actors choose institutional rules, they do so following the very rational assumption that they can... more When constitutional actors choose institutional rules, they do so following the very rational assumption that they can predict the future outcomes of the application of these rules. However, failures to predict the whole range of all possible outcomes seem inevitable in rational decisions, since unintended consequences seem to be co-substantial to institutional choice. Within constitutions, the design of specific rules for amendment is particularly important since it is perceived that the amendability defines the stability of the system. Leaving aside the weight of contextual factors (such as historical and cultural factors), actors will choose a procedure trying to calculate whether the rules permit to amend the constitution. This decision derives from beliefs on the necessity to protect minorities, not to bound living generations to the will of passed ones, etc.

Institutional Implications of the Unfair Terms Directive in Poland

by Rafał Mańko

[in:] Jacobien W. Rutgers (ed.), European Contract Law and the Welfare State (Groningen: Europa Law Publishing, 2012), pp. 141-169.

ABSTRACT

In this paper I focus on the institutional implications of the EU Unfair Terms Directive (93/13)... more ABSTRACT

In this paper I focus on the institutional implications of the EU Unfair Terms Directive (93/13) in Poland in the broader context of the welfare state model prevalent in that post-socialist EU Member State. I depart from the assumption that there is, in principle, a link between the intensity of the welfare state and the level of consumer protection, as evidenced e.g. by the traditionally high level of both in the Nordic countries. Such a view is supported by the fact that both policies are the expression of the desire to promote social justice. Hence, I argue that there is a close link between the currently experienced atrophy of the welfare state in capitalist Poland and stances towards consumer protection. Therefore, in section 2, I depart from a brief account of the evolution of the Polish welfare state from the pre-1989 state-socialist model to the current model within the framework of Poland's new capitalism, which can be described on a theoretical plane as marginal or residual, if not simply atrophic. In section 3, I discuss the evolution of consumer protection in Poland, indicating its initial lack during the state-socialist period and its emergence in the early 1980s, before moving on to the post-socialist period and the impact of European integration. Having presented the background information on the welfare state and consumer protection, in section 4 I discuss in detail the institutional impact of the Unfair Terms Directive. My analysis encompasses such aspects as the definition of a consumer, the substantive scope of protection and the available means of protection (incidental and abstract control). I will also discuss the newly introduced group actions (comparable to class actions) which are specifically tailored for consumer cases, including those where the rules on unfair terms are involved. In section 5, I present my concluding remarks.

RESUME

Le texte a pour objet d’analyser la transposition de la directive 93/13 sur les clauses abusives dans l’ordre juridique polonais dans le contexte du modèle d’État-providence. Premièrement, j’analyse l’évolution historique d’État-providence en Pologne et je note la crise contemporaine de celui-ci. Deuxièmement, j’analyse le modèle de la protection du consommateur en Pologne et les rapports existants entre ladite protection et le modèle d’État-providence. Troisièmement, j’analyse les implications institutionnelles de la directive 93/13 en Pologne et notamment le champ d’application ratione personae (définition du consommateur), le champ d’application ratione materiae (définition de la clause abusive), le caractère juridique de la liste des clauses abusives (liste « grise » ou « noire ») ; le contrôle in concreto des clauses abusives par les juridictions civiles ordinaires ; le contrôle in abstracto des clauses abusives par une juridiction spécialisée, c’est-à-dire la Cour de la protection de la concurrence et du consommateur a Varsovie ; les actions dites « de groupe » comme une nouvelle forme de protection collective des droits du consommateur. L’article souligne des difficultés rencontrés au regard de la transposition et application du droit des clauses abusives en Pologne, qui peuvent être liées au problème plus générale de la crise d’État-providence.

Constitución, Constitucionalización y Constitucionalismo de la Unión Europea

by Luis I Gordillo

Estudios de Deusto, ISSN 0423-4847, Vol. 53, Nº. 2, 2005, págs. 253-306

Sumario: I. Sobre el término «Constitucionalización». II. ¿Qué es una constitución? 1. Aproximación al concepto... more Sumario: I. Sobre el término «Constitucionalización». II. ¿Qué es una constitución? 1. Aproximación al concepto de constitución. A. Orígenes. B. Aproximación al concepto de constitución desde la Teoría del Estado. a) El concepto racional- normativo. b) El concepto histórico. c) El concepto sociológico. d) El concepto mínimo. C. Recapitulación sumaria: el concepto de constitución en la doctrina europea actual. 2. Elementos esen- ciales o contenido mínimo. A. Estado de Derecho e imperio del Derecho. B. Derechos y libertades fundamentales. C. Separación de poderes. D. Principio democrático. 3. Tratado y constitución. A. Consideraciones preliminares. B. La debilidad argumentativa de los enfoques tradicionales. C. El argumento de los tipos de normas: aprobación, modificación y extinción de tratados y constituciones. D. Recapitulación sumaria. III. Constitucionalis- mo y Unión Europea. 1. La constitución de la UE. A. Considera- ciones preliminares. B. Sector doctrinal que niega la existencia de una Constitución europea. C. Sector doctrinal que sostiene la existencia de una Constitución europea. a) Perspectiva formal: los Tratados constitutivos como constitución de la Unión Euro- pea. b) Perspectiva material: la jurisprudencia como factor prin- cipal de constitucionalización de la Unión Europea. 2. El Trata- do por el que se instituye una Constitución para Europa.