Regional Technological Differences: The Case of Southern European Union

This paper examines the spatial spillover effects and the productivity rate of patents in southern European Union. It provides a systematic analysis of the relationship between productivity of patents and the factors that generate economically useful new technological knowledge. An applied spatial econometric framework is employed since this approach is particularly useful in the study of the spatial patterns of patents productivity, at the lowest possible levels of spatial aggregation.     

Education cooperation in the European Union at the threshold of the New Millenium

The principles of ‘double relevance’ and ‘user-friendliness’ are seen as being essential for the implementation of the EU education programmes SOCRATES II and LEONARDO da VINCI II. Against the background of the acquis in EU education cooperation two points are explored: a) the articles of the Treaty are not fully used, and b) the framework set is increasingly proving to be too restrictive. The Luxemburg process and the Bologna conference are the reason for the second point. The opinion is put forward that the exchanges of students and teachers and the information exchange can be further europeanized and, eventually, be organized in permanent European structures. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Chinese Perceptions of the European Union: A Review of Leading Chinese Journals

Abstract:  As a result of the rapid development of EU–China relations, an increasing amount of scholars in China focus their research on the European Union and the nature of the bilateral relationship. As most of them publish their research results in the academic journals in China, it is necessary to have a review of these journals in order to understand Chinese perceptions of the European Union. In order to fulfil this task, this article first briefly examines the Chinese journals to be reviewed, and explains why these journals have been chosen. Via the analysis of the articles published in the leading Chinese journals in the past five years, the article presents how the Chinese perceive the EU and its global role, explores EU–US relations and EU–China relations. By presenting the most up-to-date research on the EU studies in China, the article serves as a timely and meaningful piece to help enhance mutual understanding between the EU and China.     

The Trade Union Movement and the European Union: Judgment Day

Abstract: The trade union movement faces a challenge to the legality of transnational collective action as violating economic freedoms in the EC Treaty. How are disparities in wages and working conditions among the Member States to be accommodated? Are national social models protected? Does the internal market allow for trade union collective action? How does EU law affect the balance of economic power in a transnational economy? What is the role of courts in resolving economic conflicts? This article analyses the responses to these questions as referred to the European Court of Justice by the English Court of Appeal and offers some conclusions. The purpose is to highlight the different positions adopted by the old Member States and the new accession Member States as regards the underlying substantive issues, and the options available to the Court of Justice in answering the questions posed.     

European Union Citizenship: Writing the Future

Abstract:  EU citizenship has matured as an institution, owing to a number of important interventions by the European Court of Justice and legislative initiatives, such as the Citizenship Directive 2004/38/EC, which has recently entered into force. In this article, I critically examine minimalist and cosmopolitan conceptions of European citizenship and argue that once we dispense with the preoccupation of assigning primacy to a specific level of citizenship and establishing some kind of hierarchy among them, we can begin to address the questions and issues that really matter. Among these are the future governance of citizenship and the design of a more inclusive, multilayered and multicultural conception of citizenship. European citizenship entails a number of fruitful ideas for a more ambitious transition to a post-national tableau and can be the prototype for institutional experimentation on citizenship on a global scale.     

On organized crime and police cooperation in the European union - Lessons learned. An interview with Professor Cyrille Fijnaut.

Professor Fijnaut sheds new light on understanding organized crime from a multifaceted perspective. Organized crime in Europe, as in America, confronts law enforcement agencies with new challenges which demands new and different perspectives in order to effectively fight current and future threats. By focusing on the violence associated with organized criminals and on formal mechanisms involving control and trust as basis for inter-agency linkages, he circumscribes two of the most challenging issues in dealing with organized crime. He points out that organized crime groups are not necessarily hierarchical, stable and functional in the way they conduct their business. Professor Fijnaut makes the point that the impact of organized crime groups' activities extend well beyond the strictly criminal arena.     

Enforcing trust judgments within the European Union: European Enforcement Orders

New rules have been introduced for enforcement of judgmentsin European Member States. Since 21 October 2005, for judgmentsdated after 20 January 2005 it has been possible to use a newenforcement system called the European Enforcement Order aswell as the old system of registering foreign judgments. Thisarticle examines the new rules as they apply to judgments intrust cases.     

Abolishing Exequatur in the European Union: The European Enforcement Order

Netherlands International Law Review -     

Ex Pluribus Unum: Fusion of the European Communities into the European Union

Abstract: This article presents the main legal approaches used in constructing the relationships between the TEU, TEC, TEAC and TECSC and the institutions set up by them. It argues that the dominant approaches which separate the European Union from the European Communities run into serious difficulties when explaining the normative framework and the actual practice of the EU institutions. In contrast, the proposed 'unity thesis' asserts that de lege lata the European Union can be considered one entity from the point of view of the organisation, its actions and its law, The article develops in detail the legal premises and some of the consequences of this thesis.     

论中国企业在欧盟反倾销诉讼中的应诉策略

为了在欧盟反倾销诉讼中获得胜诉的裁决 ,中国企业应当加强同欧委会的合作 ,与欧盟成员国建立联系 ,寻求用户和消费者集团的支持 ;还应当依照欧盟反倾销诉讼的法律和实践申请市场经济地位和分别待遇 ;争取以价格承诺的方式结案 ;对于己不利的裁决提请司法审查。     

Legal Pluralism and the European Union

Abstract:  This article advances a pluralist model of a legal system. It claims that a legal system is pluralist when it contains inconsistent rules of recognition that cannot be legally resolved from within the system. The first part of the article sets out the model, demonstrating why it requires a departure from the classical accounts of law advanced by writers such as Hart and Kelsen. The second half applies this model to actual legal orders: first, to Rhodesia during the crisis of 1965, and then to the legal orders of the European Union. It is argued that there are interesting and important points of similarity between the two.