Strategic Standardization in Europe: A Public Choice Perspective

In October 1990, the EC Commission presented a Green Paper in which it outlined a New Approach to European standardization. In particular, standardization was interpreted as a means of furthering the completion of the Internal Market. This paper discusses the impact of the modifications to the process of standard setting, as they have been proposed by the Commission, with respect to the incentives and goals of the major players in the European standardization game, i.e., national and European standardization bodies, industry and the EC Commission. Selected economic models of standardization are applied to investigate the policy impact of the New Approach.     

Meeting the Offender Re-integration Challenge

In this article the author – member of the European Offender Employment Forum – gives his view on the problems of re-integrating ex-offenders. He describes the pan-European growth of the prison population, the vocational training offered in prisons and the demands of the labour market. He also discusses promising programmes and initiatives to counter the problems faced by ex-offenders. The 'solution' should be multi-dimensional, provide for continuity between pre-release and after-care and counter problems like employment, housing and finances. Governments must make it their business to ensure that the programmes they support are meeting the range of offenders' needs, are linking properly with the labour market and are providing continuity from sentence to community.     

The regular article tracking developments at the national level in key European countries in the area of IT and communications – Co-ordinated by Herbert Smith LLP and contributed to by firms across Europe

This column provides a concise alerting service of important national developments in key European countries. Part of its purpose is to compliment the Journal's feature articles and Briefing Notes by keeping readers abreast of what is currently happening “on the ground” at a national level in implementing EU level legislation and international conventions and treaties. Where an item of European National News is of particular significance, CLSR may also cover it in more detail in the current or a subsequent edition.     

反思欧盟制宪实践——哈贝马斯式的视角

在质料意义上而言,欧盟已经存在有宪政雏形。哈贝马斯认为,制宪将会促成欧洲范围内全方位、多层次的大辩论,为各国协商对话和沟通创造契机,产生政治公共领域,培育共同政治文化。文章指出,一部形式和规范意义上的欧盟宪法是社会治理系统工程的开端和象征,代表着一种新秩序,无论是在欧盟内部还是在世界舞台上。     

Case law of the EPO Boards of Appeal in 2006

Legal context: The article reviews significant decisions handed down by theBoards of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2006,concentrating on decisions of the Enlarged Board and the Boardsof Appeal issued in 2006 and published or to be published inthe OJ EPO. Key points: The article discusses the application of Art. 24 EPC on exclusionand objection to members of the boards of appeal in the lightof the following decisions: G 1/05, T 281/03 and J 15/04; referralspending before the EBA on the subject of divisional applications(Art. 76 EPC and R. 25 EPC) and exclusion from patentabilityunder R. 23d(c) in conjunction with Art. 53a EPC; and decisionsof technical boards of appeal on exclusions from patentability(Arts. 52 (2)(3) and (4) EPC), the requirement of industrialapplicability (Art. 57 EPC) and re-establishment of rights (Art.122 EPC). Practical significance: The article provides an overview of the 2006 case law of theboards of appeal which is particularly useful since most ofthe decisions discussed have not yet been published in the OJEPO. The author is critical of the recent case law on the applicationof Art. 24 EPC (exclusion and objection to members of the boardsof appeal) and reports on several decisions of particular legalinterest.     

欧盟法的基本自由与劳工权利保护

欧盟法规定的基本自由包括共同市场内的商品流通自由、劳动力迁徙自由、服务业流通自由和资本流动自由四个部分,可以直接适用于欧盟国家的公民。这种规定为欧盟范围内劳工权的保护提供了全面、深入的法律保障,并赋予国际人权保护新的思想内涵。同时,对劳工权的保护促进了基本自由的完善。欧盟法基本自由对中国劳工权利保护也有一定的借鉴意义。     

从相互协助到相互承认——欧盟刑事取证立法变迁探析

欧盟刑事取证立法建立在两个不同原则上,一是传统的相互协助基础上的立法,一是1999年坦佩雷会议后,相互承认基础上的立法;这两种立法在欧盟范围内并存。从未来发展看,相互承认基础上的立法将逐步取代相互协助基础上的立法。欧盟理事会2008年12月通过的《欧盟证据令》是欧盟在相互承认基础上取代原有刑事取证立法的第一步,对原有立法进行了制度性革新。欧盟刑事取证立法在取得显著进步的同时,在相互承认原则和公民基本权利保障等方面也面临着诸多挑战。     

CHILDREN'S RIGHTS IN EUROPEAN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS: WHY ARE FAMILY PRACTICES SO DIFFERENT FROM LEGAL THEORIES?

Debates about child custody following parental separation often have been framed in terms of a battle between the competing rights of different family members. In the United States, advocates of mothers’ rights square off against proponents of fathers’ rights, with each side claiming to truly represent children's rights. Of course, not all advocates lay claim to children's rights in contact and custody disputes merely as a tactical maneuver. Some experts believe that children are entitled to (and benefit from) their own, independent legal advocate in custody cases. In theory, at least, the position that children lay claim to a third set of independent rights is strongly held in Europe, more strongly than in many U.S. states, because of the adoption of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in Europe, but not in the United States. In this article, we examine children's rights in custody disputes from a European perspective, particularly children's legal right to contact with their parents, as well as the children's right to be heard in custody and contact disputes. We find that, despite differences in legal theory, tradition, and family demographics, European countries ultimately face a familiar reality: Custody and contact disputes are, in reality, more about renegotiating family relationships than they are a matter of a mother's, father's, or child's rights.     

欧洲法院的司法独立性对欧洲一体化进程的贡献

半个世纪以来,欧洲一体化进程的实践证明,经济一体化、政治一体化的实现都离不开统一的欧洲法律体系的建设。欧洲法院司法实践证明,在欧洲一体化进程中,欧洲法院司法独立的作用功不可没。文章从分析欧洲法院的特点入手阐述其司法独立性及其在欧洲一体化进程中的作用。     

论集资诈骗罪死刑的生命空间

我国刑法对集资诈骗罪设置了死刑。本文从报应论和功利论的视角出发,探讨集资诈骗罪死刑的生命空间,认为基于刑罚的正当性要求,不宜对集资诈骗罪保留死刑。