The Rule of Law and EU Expansion

The article seeks to further discussion about the European Union's identification of the rule of law as a fundamental principle and pre-requisite for EU membership by prospective member states, despite the lack of a uniform Community-wide understanding of this concept. In this article, three points will be explored. Firstly, it will briefly examine the rule of law principle within the EU, as a contested concept, despite its pre-eminence as a fundamental principle upon which EU membership is based. Because of its contested nature, there exists across the EU, conceptual variations, leading to the problem of an apparent absence of a uniform conception of the rule of law. Secondly, the article will identify some of the main conflicts between the EU making this rule of law a pre-requisite for membership and the lack of a uniform conception for this fundamental principle. Thirdly, the article explores how these conflicts affect the development of legal cultures of prospective member states and what potential problems these conflicts imply. The article focuses on the European Union's lack of a uniform understanding of the rule of law and how this affects prospective member states from Central and Eastern Europe. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

European Corporate Laws, Regulatory Competition and Path Dependence

Beyond the well-known discussion in regard to the Cassis de Dijon of the European Court of Justice, implying the mutual recognition of national product regulations, the topic of mutual recognition and regulatory competition has emerged again in the realm of European corporate laws (“Centros” of the ECJ in 1999). Can effective competition among European corporate laws be expected? In the US a broad discussion has developed whether the existing competition process among US corporate laws leads to permanent legal improvements by legal innovations or to a race to the bottom. Beyond this discussion a new point has been raised recently: the possibility and importance of path dependence as a potential problem for the efficacy of competition among corporate laws (lock-ins). For the analysis of this problem we apply the concept of technological paradigms and trajectories to legal rules in corporate law and introduce “legal paradigms,” which direct the search for better legal solutions in certain directions and might be stabilized by certain factors (esp. complementarities to other legal rules) leading to considerable path dependence effects. Our results show that path dependence might play a crucial role for competition among European corporate laws, even if the principle of mutual recognition would be introduced to corporate laws in the EU, implying that competition among European corporate laws might be difficult and sluggish. Consequently the question arises whether additional meta-rules should be established that might mitigate the problem of path dependence and lock-ins in regulatory competition in corporate law.     

Comparative law in legal education – building a legal mind for a transnational world

This paper considers the role of comparative law in contemporary legal education. The discussion builds on an idea according to which it is helpful to make a distinction between educating lawyers and doing comparative research. It is suggested that we should pay more attention to comparative law pedagogics in today’s world, where law graduates must be prepared for working in a global context. Whereas in academic comparative research the goal is to reach a deep cultural understanding of foreign law, in legal education the goal is to learn to “think like a lawyer”. It is argued that by means of teaching foreign law, it is possible to transfer the focus of legal learning away from detailed rules and instead concentrate on general principles. Comparative law-based material and teaching ought to be regarded as a stimulus that sets the learning process into motion. Moreover, it is claimed that more significance ought to be given to the transnational dimensions of law as part of legal education within all branches of law.     

德国国际私法渊源的新发展

在传统上,德国国际私法的渊源包括制定法、德国缔结或者参加的各种国际私法条约、习惯法和判例法,但是随着欧盟国际私法统一化的深入发展,尤其是欧洲共同体在公司法、合同法、物权法、知识产权法、破产法和国际民事诉讼程序法等领域的立法不断加强,欧盟法中的国际私法规范逐渐渗入德国国际私法,从而使德国国际私法的渊源突破了传统的范围,越来越多地打上了欧盟法的烙印,呈现出“欧盟化”倾向。     

The Proposed ‘Common European Sales Law’: Legal Framework and the Agreement of the Parties

The European Commission's Proposal for a Regulation on a Common European Sales Law (‘CESL’) seeks to create a European scheme of contract law available for parties to choose to govern cross‐border contracts for the sale of goods, supply of ‘digital content,’ and for the supply of related services. This article explains the background to the Proposal, sketches out the purposes and scope of the CESL, and considers and criticises its legal framework (and in particular its relationship with private international law) and the key requirement of the parties’ agreement. In the author's view, the CESL scheme remains an unconvincing basis for the achievement of its economic purposes and, as regards consumer contracts, puts too much reliance on the agreement of the consumer as a justification for the loss of their existing protection under EU private international law rules.     

El principio de reconocimiento mutuo en el derecho de la unión europea según la cláusula de “plena fe y crédito” de la constitución de estados unidos

The paper shows a comparative analysis of the law of the united states of america (US) and the european union (EU) focusing on the principle of mutual recognition, which has served as a basis in order to achieve the enforcement of judicial decisions by the authorities of the different Member States. It illustrates the origins and evolution of this principle within the US legal system, as well as its recent implementation within the European integration system with the aim of creating a common space of freedom, security and justice. The paper lists and analizes a substancial number of legal acts adopted so far in the area of civil and criminal law. Furthermore, it highlights the influence the case-law of the US Supreme Court and the Court of Justice of the EU has had on the development of this principle. Moreover, it elaborates on the function of this principle as a nation-building element, raising the question whether this concept could be possibly transposed to a regional integration system with clear federal traits such as the EU.     

比较法学与近现代中国法制之命运

近现代中国法制以法律比较为起点,并通过法律比较而发展。近现代中国法制发展曲折徘徊之时,也是比较法学低谷沉默之时。近现代中国法制的建设与发展、法学的复兴与繁荣,都是循着法律比较的途径,并在比较法学的基础上进行的。法律比较对于一国法制建设具有不可或缺性,可以说比较法学与近现代中国法制建设是共命运的。     

European remedial coherence in the regulation of non-consensual disclosures of sexual images

The non-consensual dissemination of sexually explicit images or videos for no legitimate purpose represents a serious sexual violation by means of breaching an individual's ability to control their own sexual identity. This article argues that the only adequate legal response to this behaviour is targeted criminal regulation, and that action on a regional level is within the European Union's competence by virtue of Article 83(1) TFEU. The approaches of EU Member States to the phenomenon through targeted criminal law are examined in order to extract positive and negative elements of the respective regulatory systems. Drawing on the experiences of these States, as well as on existing EU criminal directives, a draft directive is included to illustrate what form a European regional system of criminal regulation may take.     

公私法的划分与法的内在结构

公私法的划分是法理学的基本问题之一 ,也是建设中国特色社会主义法律体系必须解决的一个基本问题。本文回顾了公私法划分的历史 ,评析了学者们关于公私法划分的根据 ,对公私法的含义进行了新的阐释 ,认为公私法的划分是法的内在结构问题 ,划分公私法的直接根据是法律调整的不同方法 ,而法律调整的方法 ,基本上或主要地决定于法律调整的对象。明确这一问题 ,有利于澄清长期困扰法理学界的一些重要问题 ,以便根据法律调整对象的不同和实际生活的需要 ,选择最佳的法律调整方法 ,这对建设中国特色社会主义法律体系具有重大的指导意义     

欧洲家庭法统一进程的最新发展——以欧洲家庭法协会为视角

欧洲家庭法协会(CEFL),以协调和统一欧洲家庭法为己任,自2001年成立以来着手对欧洲传统家庭法领域展开实体法协调的尝试。在离婚、离异配偶间扶养、父母责任等家庭法领域起草若干原则作为示范法,反映了欧洲比较家庭法的最新发展进程。即使在欧盟各成员国批准《里斯本条约》后,CEFL仍有其发挥作用的空间。     

欧盟私法法典化与我国民法典的制订

随着欧盟一体化进程的加快,客观上要求欧盟在私法领域制定一部内部协调统一、具有宏观性、体系性的民法典,经过法学家的理论准备,欧盟官方对学术研究的响应和对私法发展方向的正确选择,最终促使《共同参考框架（草案）》（DCFR）的完成。欧盟私法法典化进程中,虽然具有浓厚的工具色彩,但融合了不同的法律文化与传统,体现出了现代私法的最新理念与精神。欧盟私法法典化在法典的制定、法典的精神以及法典的结构、内容、统一性方面,无疑对我国民法典的制定具有很大的借鉴意义。     

论社会主义法治理念在法学体系中的核心价值

法学体系中的社会主义法治理念,体现了政治法学的中国风格,是政治法学的中国化表达。社会主义法治理念既是一门课程,也可以培育成为一门相对独立的分支学科,它在法学体系中的位置可以得到清晰的界定。在我国20世纪80年代的课程设置与法学体系中,已经出现了社会主义法治理念的雏形;在西方国家的课程设置与法学体系中,也可以找到它的对应物。因此,社会主义法治理念在法学体系中的核心价值,就在于把中国的法学体系悬挂在中国政治的天花板上、连接在中国政治的火车头上,以促成法学体系与现实政治之间的血脉贯通。     

Lessons from Roman law: EU law in England and Wales after Brexit

ABSTRACT

The experience of Roman law in legal education in England and Wales may serve as a cautionary tale for EU law post-Brexit. Similarly, past debates as to the position of Roman law in the curriculum may also be instructive in the EU law context. After tracing the history of the teaching of Roman law in England and Wales, this article posits first that the factors that appear to have caused the decline of Roman law could apply equally in the context of EU law. Secondly, based on both pragmatic and liberal education arguments that have historically been proffered for the study of Roman law, it advances arguments for the retention of a compulsory stand-alone EU law module in England and Wales after Brexit. To this end, the paper contends that the arguments for the retention of EU law in legal education are more robust than those asserted traditionally in favour of Roman law.     

The Legal Profession in the european Union – a Comparative Analysis of Four Member States

Cross-border legal practice has finally become reality in Europe mainly thanks to two factors: the legal framework offered to EC lawyers by the EC legislator and the effect of globalization on legal profession. This article focuses primarily on the success of EC/EU efforts in abolishing obstacles to the free movement of lawyers. Particular attention is drawn to the Establishment Directive, adopted in 1998, opening up new perspectives for lawyers. Secondly, it discusses how globalization has contributed to this development. In relation to the above, this article also explores the new concept of establishment stemming from the expansion of law firms in Europe. Thirdly and mainly, it considers the national positions and the difficulties in harmonizing the legal professions throughout Europe. The examples of four Member States: the UK, France, Germany and Italy demonstrate how much they differ from each other as far as the needs, expectations and rules governing the legal profession. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

An optional European contract law code: Advantages and disadvantages

Should the EU introduce an Optional European Contract Law Code and what should it look like? By applying economic theories of federalism and regulatory competition (legal federalism), it is shown why an Optional Code would be a very suitable legal instrument within a two-level European System of Contract Laws. By allowing private parties’ choice of law to a certain extent, it can combine the most important advantages of centralisation and decentralisation of competences for legal rules. Through differentiated analyses of three kinds of contract law rules (mandatory substantive rules, mandatory information rules and facilitative law), important conclusions can be reached: which kinds of contract law rules are most suitable to be applied on an optional basis (e.g. facilitative law) and which might be less so (e.g. a core of information regulations). Furthermore a number of additional general conclusions about the design and scope of an Optional EU Code and some conclusions in regard to sales law are derived.     

比较法与冲突法关系之重新厘定

在冲突法的发展中 ,比较法一直扮演着重要角色。它提供了外国法的信息 ,推动着冲突规范的起草并指引冲突规范的适用。但从方法论的角度来看 ,二者又存在着潜在的对抗。随着欧洲一体化进程的加快和基本权利地位的提升 ,它从根本上改变着比较法与冲突法的关系 ,并将其引向了一个更新、更高的平台。相比之下 ,美国冲突法的乡土观念却使得比较法与冲突法间的盟友关系在美国本土变得十分脆弱。只有加强比较研究 ,才能从根本上改变美国冲突法的这种“岛国心态”。     

论法律的有限性

法治社会至少是目前为止的一种理想社会状态,随着和谐社会观念的提出,法治社会进程或多或少迟缓了脚步,但其缓慢的进程恰恰是反思法治、改进法治继而为加快发展的时机。正如快速的奔跑难以容下迷思而闲庭信步催生灵感一样。过分对法律的迷信和过分对法律的轻慢均是法律建设不可取的态度;揭示法律的有限性并试图寻找克服其有限性的方法,是法律建设不可缺少的一个环节。     

古代印度法的主要内容与特征——以《摩奴法论》为视角

古代印度法是世界主要法律传统之一。它包含着丰富的理念和制度，并在整体上形成了不同于其他古代法的鲜明特征。它在宗教和政治的关系上，表现为宗教之法；在不同种姓的关系上，表现为婆罗门之法；在学理与制度的关系上，表现为学说之法；在不同教派、行业与地域的关系上，表现为多元之法。深入研究这一法律文明，不仅可以拓展比较法的视野，而且有助于借鉴其中的有益资源。     

论一般法律原则在共同体司法实践中的运用

国际法适用于欧洲共同体 ,共同体法律体系中的一般法律原则基本上包括国际法的一般原则。在共同体中 ,一般法律原则的适用已是成员国的共识。共同体法意义上的一般法律原则既内在于共同体法的秩序里 ,也存在于成员国各法律体系之中。本文试图通过若干案例 ,说明一般法律原则在共同体司法实践中的运用。     

关于大陆法系研究的几个问题

自从日本学者穗积陈重提出＂法族＂以及瑞士学者霍尔、美国学者威格摩尔提出＂法系＂的概念以来,对世界上各个法系的研究就逐步展开,尤其是英美法系和伊斯兰法系的研究,更是一直受到学术界的关注,也推出了一批成果。与此相比,对大陆法系的研究,可能因语言等的问题,成果相对比较少,对一些最基础的问题,研究也显得比较单薄。随着我国精通欧洲语言的法学人才的数量不断增加,对大陆法系的研究,也将成为我国法学研究中的一个重要领域。