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.     

印度穆斯林：“反恐”阴影与发展困境

本文重点研讨两个方面的问题，其一是“反恐文化”阴影下的印度穆斯林，二是“桑奇报告”及印度穆斯林的发展问题。前者所关注的是“9·11事件”后国际上和印度国内形成的“反恐文化”，及这种阴影下的印度穆斯林在思想意识和行为方式上的变化；后者则关注印度政府对于穆斯林团体存在的困难和问题的关心、认识和政策。     

技术进步的政府规模与美国技术变迁

技术进步已经成为国际关系研究的重要议题.本项研究试图通过二战后美国技术进步的个案展示:在美国面临苏联挑战的时期,美国技术进步的政府规模在极大地扩展.美国政府加大了对研发的投入和采购.而伴随着大规模、集中化的研发资金注入和政府采购,美国技术得以克服技术瓶颈,实现了重大的技术进步.因此,国家安全往往是推动技术进步的强大动力.而世界重大技术呈现周期性变动的背后可能是由国际政治权力转移的周期所牵引.     

落实科学发展观 促进人的全面发展

科学发展观的第一要义是发展，而发展的关键在于人的全面发展；坚持以人为本，就是要实现人的全面发展；坚持全面协调可持续发展，就是要促进人的全面发展。因此，要牢固树立和全面落实科学发展观就必须不断促进人的全面发展，这是社会主义的本质要求，也是科学发展观的必然要求。     

论福建省异地商会的十大功能

商会是历史的产物,异地商会是市场经济发展的延伸。福建省委统战部、省工商联以异地商会为载体,深化其功能建设,使异地商会在凝聚闽商、弘扬历史、承接市场、搏击商海、海西先行、再创辉煌中发挥了积极的作用。以闽商为主体的福建省异地商会已成为福建对外发展、促进海峡西岸经济区建设的响亮品牌。探寻福建省异地商会的发展历程,究其"踏乾坤逐鹿商海,搏市场弘扬闽商"之道,研究认为,商会功能的完备、合理、规范、有序、创新,是福建省异地商会保持旺盛生机和蓬勃发展的不二法则。有道是"随着民间商会力量的崛起,其协调政府与企业以及推动国民经济发展的作用越来越大。"     

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。     

What does Brexit Tell Us about Our Understanding of European Identity?

This paper reports on a number of Eurobarometer surveys undertaken by the European Commission as a way of reflecting on Brexit and the challenges it poses to European identity. Our work with the surveys has been undertaken in the context of developing an educational game (RU EU?) which will explore European identity. European citizenship and identity have been strongly promoted by the EU but, while they appear to have been accepted at an elite level, the EU—and the UK in particular—have so far not constructed a narrative which has been supported by ‘ordinary’ citizens. Brexit has therefore exposed the failings of European elites in this regard. That said, there is some evidence that the complexities of Brexit have led to a strengthening of European identity in the other EU 27 countries.