Promoting Multilingual Consistency for the Quality of EU Law

The process of elaborating EU legislation includes the activity of translation. Drafting and translation cannot be considered separately but are rather two complementary activities whose aim is the quality of legislation. In order to achieve the required quality of legislation, one guiding principle is consistency of terminology. This study examines the particular case of two terms in German that appeared in the EC Treaty: Entscheidung and Beschluss. The inconsistent use of the two terms was the source of interpretative problems, as observed in Case C-370/07 Commission v Council. A comparison of the contested provisions in the EC Treaty and the provisions in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union shows that the terminological inconsistency has been corrected. After the examination of this case, we elaborate on the impact of terminological consistency on interpretation as reflected in requests for preliminary rulings.     

Reconsidering discrimination grounds in the data economy: An EU comparison of national constitutions

The principle of equal treatment (i.e., all people have the right to be treated equally) is protected by non-discrimination provisions in national constitutions across the EU as well as the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (CFEU). These provisions specify which grounds (e.g., gender, race, religion) are prohibited to use as the basis for making decisions on people, such as offering a person a job. In the data economy, in which large amounts of personal data are collected and analyzed, it has become possible to make decisions on people on the basis of all kinds of grounds, also grounds that are not protected in anti-discrimination law (e.g., zip code, shoe size, wealth). Even though mostly unintentional, patterns revealed by sophisticated data analysis can turn out to be discriminatory, either directly or indirectly. Particularly indirect discrimination (i.e., discrimination by proxy) can be hard to discover and enforce. From a substantive perspective, these technological developments also raise the question which discrimination grounds should be protected, since discrimination grounds are in flux and not harmonized across the EU. In this paper, through legal comparison, discrimination grounds across EU national constitutions and the CFEU are compared, to identify overlaps and differences. This overview is then used to start the discussion on the extent to which current legislation is still appropriate in the data economy or should perhaps be reconsidered.     

EU Equality Law: Three Recent Developments

This article analyses three recent developments within the EU that have an impact on EU equality legislation: the coming into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, the Proposal to extend the material scope of the provisions against discrimination on the ground of religion and belief, disability, age and sexual orientation beyond the area of employment, and the case law of the European Court of Justice regarding the EU Equality Directives of 2000. It will assess whether these three developments have led to improved protection against discrimination for people in the EU.     

精神卫生立法中鉴定条款的改进及相关问题研究——以《精神卫生法(草案)》为基础

以国务院最近公布的《精神卫生法(草案)》中与鉴定有关的条款为基础,结合司法鉴定学理论与实践,针对术语选用、基础理论与制度设计等问题展开评述与分析,最后提出个人建议.     

关于修订《海商法》需要厘清的几个基本理论问题——从《海商法》的第一章“总则”说起

讨论修订《海商法》需要厘清的一些基本理论问题，并以《海商法》第一章总则为切入点，重点讨论海商法的立法目的、调整对象及性质，希望能够促进和激发中国海商法界就海商法基础理论问题的研究与讨论，为将来修订《海商法》提供更多的参考意见。     

THE YOUTH CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT

In April 2003, the face of Canada's youth criminal justice system changed considerably. The Young Offenders Act (YOA) was repealed and the substitute legislation, the principle-laden Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), came into effect. It is not an entirely new act but was designed to build on the strengths of the YOA and address its weaknesses. The biggest criticism of the YOA was its lack of clear legislative direction; through the numerous principles and additional provisions, the YCJA proposes a remedy. The focus of this article is on two areas of the Act in particular, extrajudicial measures and sentencing, as these areas experienced the most change in the process of reforming the legislation. Specifically, these sections of the Act are analyzed in relation to four of the perceived problems under the YOA, all of which tie into the lack of clear legislative direction. If the provisions contained in these segments of the YCJA are adhered to in the manner and sentiment intended and if the principles are made a priority, then 1) the rate of youth incarceration in Canada should decrease, 2) the courts should no longer be overused, 3) there should be proper distinction between various degrees of seriousness of crimes, and 4) there should be more consistency in youth sentences across the country.     

贪污贿赂犯罪的数额问题研究

刑法规定的数额标准与司法实践不相适应的问题、影响刑罚轻重的数额等级划分不合理的问题及犯罪的数额起点问题是困扰我国刑事立法与司法实践的重大问题之一,我国贪污贿赂犯罪的数额起点应当进一步降低乃至取消而不是提高。贪污贿赂犯罪刑罚的数额等级应当进一步细分,情节规定应当具体化。贪污贿赂犯罪的数额法定是十分必要的,不能因为与司法实践脱节而否认其合理性。完善我国现行刑法贪污贿赂犯罪应当沿着数字化、具体化方向发展,凡是可以量化的一定要量化,基于我国的国情需要最大限度地减少模糊性、不确定性。     

Selective justice,genetic discrimination,and insurance: should we single out genes in our laws?

This article discusses the desirability of legislation focusing on genetic discrimination, in particular in the context of insurance. Many American states and some European countries as well as the Council of Europe have introduced protective measures against discrimination on the basis of genetic susceptibility. The author questions their effectiveness and queries whether they may be inequitable, because they fail to address more fundamental underlying issues related to the nature of insurance, access to health care, and unequal distribution of wealth. There is also a problem of definition in these statutes. They fail to capture what constitutes genetic information. Nonetheless, the author argues it is important to consider the social consequences of genetic testing. Michael Walzer's theory of justice is used to examine the role of insurance and health care. Using this approach, the author finds the American system of distribution for health care to be problematic. This is then used to inform the author's discussion of the future of health care in Canada. Anti-discrimination provisions could be used in a way that is consistent with Walzer's theory of justice. They would encompass both genetic and non-genetic health factors. These can be modelled on current anti-discrimination statutes in Canada. The author then proposes administrative committee structures to regulate the use of genetic data in Canada.     

论我国环境管理体制立法存在的问题及其完善途径

我国现行的环境管理体制立法存在着立法体系不完善、立法内容存在交叉和矛盾、某些立法授权不符合科学管理的规律等问题。为此 ,我国应当加强对环境管理体制立法的研究 ,注意借鉴国外环境管理体制立法的经验 ,加快制定综合性的环境管理体制立法。应将各单行立法中关于环境管理体制的规定具体化 ,及时修订与实际不符的法律规定。在立法程序上 ,改变由管理部门起草立法的方式 ,遵循先立法后改制的原则。并且在立法中引入公众对环境管理机构的监督机制     

刑法各论的理论建构

从刑法史的角度看,刑法规定存在着一个从个别立法到一般立法的演变过程。刑法总则和刑法分则的分立是人类经验积累的结果,是人类对犯罪和刑罚的认识不断提高的结果。刑法总则固然重要,但离开了刑法分则,对不法行为定罪实际上是不可能的。刑法分则规范是犯罪分类的表述方式,刑法分则体系不仅是技术性问题,背后包含了一定的刑法价值理念。我国刑法分则除了对罪状和法定刑的规定以外,还包括一些刑法适用的引导性规定。     

REVIEW OF REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS FOR CONTAMINATED LAND IN CHINA

China is suffering severe soil contamination,but no specific national legislation has been adopted to address this issue.Under the current regulatory framework,there are numerous relevant provisions on contaminated land management.It is recommended that a specific legislation should be promulgated at the national level to improve the current situation.Foreign experiences shouM be considered in China's specific social environmental context.A proper liability mechanism should be established for a better judicial treatment to contaminated land issues.While a proper contaminated land liability mechanism is being developed,the principles of state liability and retroactive liability,and the principle that polluters pay should be followed Public participation should be encouraged in contaminated land management.     

The necessity of legally compliant data management in European cloud architectures

Taking advantage of flexible resource provisions enabled by Cloud Computing, many businesses have recently migrated their IT applications and data to the Cloud, allowing them to respond to new demands and requests from customers. However, Cloud Computing also moves functions and responsibilities away from local ownership and management to a third-party provided service, and brings with it a set of associated legal issues, such as data protection, licensing, intellectual property rights and the need to comply to necessary regulation. In this paper we evaluate commonly-observed Cloud Computing use cases against the law applying to Cloud Computing to find where legal problems may arise. We derive a general architecture for Clouds and use it to illustrate common Cloud Computing usage patterns. The use cases are assessed against evaluation criteria derived from the relevant Cloud Computing law for the data processing of end-user details and materials, including roles and responsibilities necessary for legal compliance. The Data Protection Directive of the European Union has been used in this evaluation, as it is a commonly accepted and influential directive in the field of data processing legislation.     

Digital Economy Act 2010: fighting a losing battle? Why the ‘three strikes’ law is not the answer to copyright law's latest challenge

This paper argues that the Digital Economy Act (DEA) 2010, already much delayed in its implementation, is fundamentally flawed in three respects. First, there are internal inconsistencies in the complex provisions to be enacted under secondary legislation. In particular, the problem of relying on Internet Protocol (IP) addresses to identify alleged infringers has proved problematic. Secondly, the proposed measures are disproportionate in terms of the offence and severity of the punishment involving a warning-system leading to possible disconnection from the Internet for copyright infringement. Thirdly, the Act is unlikely to succeed in its central purpose to control unauthorised digital copying because of its technological specificity in a fast moving environment, and a lack of consumer acceptance. Finally, by comparing the treatment of these issues under legislation in other countries, in particular New Zealand, alternative copyright enforcement models are explored.     

组织犯概念诸学说介评--从组织犯刑事立法出发的思考

组织犯是共犯者类型之一,围绕组织犯的概念界定产生了不同的理论学说,其中具有代表性的有特有类型说、等同说、一般类型说。组织行为的法典化有两种取向,即组织行为的总则化与组织行为的分则化。组织行为的总则化是在刑法总则中对组织犯做一般性的规定。组织行为的总则化有两种做法:组织犯的明示规定和组织犯的默示规定。组织行为的分则化其实质就是组织行为的实行行为化。组织行为的分则化可分两种情况:一是在刑法分则中对组织犯和非组织犯规定不同的刑罚尺度,体现对组织行为的打击力度;二是在刑法分则中直接把组织行为规定为具体罪。分则化的组织犯也就失去了共犯者类型的本来意义,是实质上的实行犯。     

未成年人犯罪刑罚适用区域性考察及其罚则改革研究(上)

对云南省若干地区的实证考察表明,在未成年犯罪人的刑罚适用中存在诸多问题,例如,有期徒刑适用过多,管制、拘役刑基本空置;缓刑适用比例过低且存在很大的地区差异,司法分流的合法性有待确认等等。造成上述问题的原因很多,既有立法方面的,如立法不明确或缺乏弹性;也有司法或执法方面的,如考察机关负担过重,无力进行有效考察;还有地方因素的干扰,如过分强调刑罚的威慑作用等。为此,要解决上述问题,必须从立法、司法与执法三方面着手。在立法上须根据《联合国儿童权利公约》规定的确保未成年人最大利益的原则行事,增加处罚中的弹性规范;增设已在国内外被证明行之有效的某些刑罚制度,例如,缓诉制度、缓缴罚金制度、刑事前科报告免除制度、前科消灭制度等;在司法与执法中,应完善相关机制以扩大缓刑等制度的适用范围,并采取有效措施,加强部门合作,消除地区差异。     

未成年人犯罪刑罚适用区域性考察及其罚则改革研究(下)

对云南省若干地区的实证考察表明,在未成年犯罪人的刑罚适用中存在诸多问题,例如,有期徒刑适用过多,管制、拘役刑基本空置;缓刑适用比例过低且存在很大的地区差异,司法分流的合法性有待确认等等。造成上述问题的原因很多,既有立法方面的,如立法不明确或缺乏弹性;也有司法或执法方面的,如考察机关负担过重,无力进行有效考察;还有地方因素的干扰,如过分强调刑罚的威慑作用等。为此,要解决上述问题,必须从立法、司法与执法三方面着手。在立法上须根据《联合国儿童权利公约》规定的确保未成年人最大利益的原则行事,增加处罚中的弹性规范;增设已在国内外被证明行之有效的某些刑罚制度,例如,缓诉制度、缓缴罚金制度、刑事前科报告免除制度、前科消灭制度等;在司法与执法中应完善相关机制,以扩大缓刑等制度的适用范围,并采取有效措施,加强部门合作,消除地区差异。     

论中国经济特区立法的新格局——兼评《立法法》有关经济特区立法的规定

本文根据《立法法》有关经济特区立法的规定 ,围绕经济特区立法的几项主要制度 ,对《立法法》所确认的中国经济特区立法的新格局进行了分析和评论。     

浅析我国仲裁司法监督的范围

目前,我国对内外仲裁的司法监督实行＂双轨制＂,其涉外仲裁裁决仅涉及审查和监督程序运作,国内仲裁裁决则涉及实体和程序两方面的审查。针对仲裁监督的范围,学界在＂程序监督论＂和＂全面监督论＂的问题上一直存有分歧。本文对比分析了这两大观点,并借鉴了英美法系和大陆法系国家的立法规定,提出了完善我国仲裁司法监督范围的几点建议。     

Colleague or Viral Vector? The Legal Construction of the HIV-Positive Worker*

Many people affected by HIV suffer discrimination in the workplace, both in seeking jobs and at the hands of their employers and colleagues, this article considers critically the way in which the law can and does protect people affected in this way. It begins with an overview of the legal provisions in both statute and common law in England and Wales which may be applied to cases of discrimination on the basis of HIV infection. The practical implications of those provisions are then considered with reference to five cases of workplace discrimination related to the author by people so affected. The article ends with a consideration of the future possibilities for effective laws to combat HIV discrimination.     

民法变通规定制定权的法源冲突及解决路径——以《民法典》相关规定阙如为切入点

为在民事法治建设中妥善处理各民族风俗习惯与国家民事法律的关系,我国《民法通则》《婚姻法》《继承法》《收养法》赋予了民族自治地方人大对民事法律规定进行变通的权力。已经正式实施的《民法典》并没有对此项权力予以明确规定,而我国《民法通则》等法律又因为我国《民法典》的实施而被废止。在此背景下,民族自治地方人大还能否对民法典的相关规定进行变通或者补充,是全面贯彻实施《民法典》必须解决的一个重要问题。由于我国《民法通则》等法律规定的变通规定制定权是授权立法而非职权立法,依据宪法及宪法相关法有关立法权限划分的规定,已无法解决我国《民法典》与《民法通则》等法律之间存在的新的一般规定与旧的特别规定的冲突问题。在民法典时代,民族自治地方人大能否对《民法典》的规定进行变通或补充,尚有待全国人大常委会作出裁决。