EU police and judicial cooperation before the Treaty of Lisbon: strengthening of the weakest link?

Abstract

Three key questions arise from the encroachment of the European Union (EU) on national prerogatives in the administration of justice: What factors contribute to the weakest link collective action problem attending police and judicial cooperation within the EU? What were the substantive and institutional goals of the EU in this policy domain? What accounts for the rising level of police and judicial cooperation despite the persistence of barriers to cooperation and incentives to defect? This article first establishes the fundamental incentives and obstacles to cooperation in matters of transnational security threats in post-Westphalian Europe. It then proceeds to explore the evolution of police and judicial cooperation in Justice and Home Affairs between 1999 and 2009, to assess national contributions to police and judicial cooperation, and to consider the potential impact that the changes introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, Stockholm Programme and European Investigation Order. A final question is considered in the conclusion: Did the level and extent of police and judicial cooperation that emerged between 1999 and 2009 give rise to a community of practice that in turn fostered a nascent community of identity resilient enough to mitigate the weakest link technology of public goods production endemic to this policy domain?     

国际私法中法律选择方法的价值探究

法律选择方法①中的价值观,表现为对形式正义和实质正义的不同追求。传统方法追求法律选择中的形式正义,现代理论则主张以法律适用的结果和利益来决定法律选择,即追求法律选择中的实质正义。法律应当是两大价值的综合,即法律旨在创设一种正义的社会秩序,那么当代②法律选择追求的应是两者的融和与平衡。最密切联系原则依托于连接因素,又使法官的自由裁量权得以发挥,为两种价值观的平衡实现提供了可能。而最终价值的真正实现,还必须对最密切联系原则的成熟形态进行不断地探索。     

新闻监督与司法审判的冲突与平衡

新闻监督对司法审判有着积极的促进作用,但同时又在价值取向、程序和效益追求上与司法审判产生冲突。新闻监督的不规范状态和审判体制的滞后性是造成冲突的主要原因,应当在制度上构建两者之间的平衡,在完善审判制度的同时,尽快对新闻活动立法,规范新闻监督。     

司法公正的二重价值目标——社会和谐与经济效益最大化

公平、正义的司法是法治国家解决社会争端的最后一道机制,更是构建社会和谐的保障。本文论述了司法公正的二重价值目标:在实现社会和谐的前提下,达到经济效益最大化。为实现这一双重价值目标,除应做到司法独立、程序公正和高效的司法监督外,还要在司法制度设计和实践中尊重个人,以实现人权和社会合意,并在此基础上达到司法经济效益最大化。     

行政诉讼简易程序研究

我国行政诉讼实行的是以合议制为原则的普通程序制度,随着行政诉讼制度的不断发展和人民群众司法需求的日益多元,普通程序制度已愈发显出与社会现实的不相适应。行政诉讼简易程序具有合理配置审判资源、提高审判效率等作用,是符合社会主义司法制度要求的一种审判方式。行政诉讼简易程序的施行在现实中也有其广阔的实践空间。因此,应借鉴民事和刑事诉讼简易程序制度,构建符合行政审判特点和规律的简易程序制度。     

民事责任的追究理由

民事责任不仅仅只是一种“分配风险”的方式,而且具有制裁功能。追究民事责任的理由首先在于道德上的应受非难性和可归责性,并贯穿着对社会正义的追求。     

论刑事诉讼中的沉默权

沉默权是无罪推定原则的重要内容。在刑事诉讼中,告知犯罪嫌疑人、被告人沉默权已成为国际社会的一种共识。沉默权最突出的优点是有利于防止刑讯逼供,它是司法文明的标志,也是司法程序正义的必然要求。随着社会文明程度的进一步提高,我国现行刑事诉讼法规定的“拒绝回答权”与“沉默权”接轨的日期已不会很遥远了。     

英美陪审制的法理探析

陪审制起源于古希腊、古罗马时期,但是具有现代意义的陪审制度则发生于12世纪的英国。英美陪审制度的产生及发展与英美人的处世哲学有着千丝万缕的联系,同时英美陪审制度本身蕴含着民主、自由、正义等现代政治伦理观念,而且在英美陪审制的实施过程中又体现着法律与道德之间的一种妥协。这些因素综合起来驱使着英美人为坚持他们的制度而引以自豪。     

Talking of gender: words and meanings in development organisations

This article reflects on the vocabulary commonly used within development organisations to communicate about ‘gender and development’. It argues that the relevant terminology, though frequently used, remains problematic. Some terms are almost entirely absent, while others are used loosely and inappropriately – with the subtleties of carefully developed and much-debated concepts often lost. Terms such as ‘empowerment’, ‘gender’, and ‘gender mainstreaming’ which originated in feminist thinking and activism have lost their moorings and become depoliticised. Despite these problems, there are indications that debates and language may be taking a more radical turn with the acknowledgement of the shortcomings of the practices of gender mainstreaming, the deepening of interest in the notion of empowerment, and the explicit adoption of a human-rights language.