Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Substantive public law'

This thesis contributes to academic debate about the question: how much substantive protection should investment treaties (IITs) provide to foreign investment? Chapters 5 and 6 argue that arbitral tribunals have interpreted fair and equitable treatment and indirect expropriation provisions of existing IITs in several different ways. Each of these interpretations is sketched as a model level of protection that could be explicitly adopted by states in the future, either through inclusion in new IITs, or through amendment to existing IITs. In this way, the thesis defines a range of prospective options available to states concerning the level of protection to provide to foreign investment through IITs. The thesis evaluates the relative desirability of these different levels of protection. The thesis argues that different levels of protection should be evaluated according to their likely consequences. The thesis develops a framework for inferring and understanding the likely consequences of adopting different levels of protection. The framework proposes that the consequences of a given level of protection can be understood in terms of its likely effect on: economic efficiency; the distribution of economic costs and benefits; flows of foreign direct investment into host states; the realisation of human rights and environmental conservation in host states; and respect for the rule of law in host states. Within this framework, the thesis provides an assessment and synthesis of existing empirical evidence and explanatory theory so far as they relate to the consequences of IIT protections. It also specifies the normative criteria by which these consequences should be evaluated. Through the application of this framework, the thesis concludes that lower levels of protection of foreign investment are, in general, likely to be more desirable than higher levels of protection.

Thesis (LLD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Substantive equality is a constitutional imperative, hence the need for strategies that attempt to realise it for the sake of genuine social reconstruction. The principle of equality runs through all other rights in the South African Constitution. Be that as it may, equality is an elusive concept, which makes its achievement an ambitious task. Nonetheless, there are strategies that attempt to bring to the fore the ‘substance’ of the concept in order to ensure the actual realisation of socio-economic benefits. Such strategies include, among others: social security, education, economic empowerment, skills development and affirmative action. This study will focus on the latter of these strategies, namely affirmative action. Although affirmative action is practised around the world, one of the (many) criticisms of the policy is that it fails to bring about substantive or structural change. In other words, it may change the racial and gender composition of the classroom or the workplace, but does not address the challenges that cause the disadvantages of marginalised groups in the first place. It is arguable that affirmative action has increased inequality in South Africa by benefiting the apex of the class structure and not the majority of the population living in abject poverty. This study develops a theoretical analysis of the link between status (race, sex and ethnicity) and socio-economic disadvantage, and the central question that the study addresses is the following: How can the policy of affirmative action be redesigned to ensure that it benefits the socio-economically disadvantaged? A secondary question that is investigated is whether affirmative action can contribute to the development of human capacities in the context of poverty alleviation. It is arguable that substantive equality facilitates the adoption of strategies (such as affirmative action) to address socio-economic inequality, poverty and social exclusion. The research suggests that a paradigm shift is necessary in order to reconceive of affirmative action as a policy that does not only focus on ensuring ‘equitable representation’ of disadvantaged groups in the workforce or the classroom, but also provides for the development of human capacities. This can be achieved if one adopts an expansive view of affirmative action and if one utilises class as one of the numerous criteria for determining the beneficiaries of the policy.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Substantiewe gelykheid is ′n grondwetlike vereiste, vandaar die behoefte om strategieë te ontwikkel wat poog om dit te realiser in die belang van daadwerklike sosiale rekonstruksie. Die beginsel van gelykheid is vervleg met alle ander regte in die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet. Gelykheid is nietemin ′n ontwykende konsep, en dit maak die bereiking daarvan ′n ambisieuse taak. Daar is egter strategieë wat gemik is daarop om sosio-ekonomiese voordele te bereik. Voorbeelde van sodanige strategieë sluit in sosiale sekuriteit, opvoeding, ekonomiese bemagtiging, die ontwikkeling van vaardighede, en regstellende aksie. Hierdie studie fokus op laasgenoemde strategie, naamlik regstellende aksie. Ten spyte van die feit dat regstellende aksie regoor die wêreld toegepas word, word die beleid nietmin gekritiseer as sou dit nie werklik wesenlike of strukturele verandering teweeg bring nie. Met ander woorde, dit bring moontlik ‘n verandering teweeg in die rasse-en geslagsamestelling van die klaskamer of die werkplek, maar spreek nie die uitdagings aan wat in die eerste plek lei tot die posisie van relatiewe benadeling waarin gemarginaliseerde groepe hulself bevind nie. Sommige argumenteer dat regstellende aksie bydra tot ongelykheid in Suid-Afrika deur voordele te beperk tot diegene wat hulself aan die toppunt van die klasstruktuur bevind terwyl dit die meerderheid van die bevolking wat in armoede leef ignoreer. Hierdie studie ontwikkel ′n teoretiese ontleding van die verband tussen status (ras, geslag en etnisiteit) en sosio-ekonomiese benadeling. Die sentrale vraag van die studie is die volgende: Hoe kan die beleid van regstellende aksie herontwerp word om te verseker dat dit lei tot die bevoordeling van die sosio-ekonomiese benadeeldes? ’n Sekondêre vraag wat in die studie onder die loep kom is of regstellende aksie ’n bydrae kan maak tot die ontwikkeling van menslike vermoë in die konteks van armoedeverligting. Daar kan geragumenteer word dat die strewe na substantiewe gelykheid strategieë (soos regstellende aksie) na vore bring om sosio-ekonomiese ongelykheid, armoede en sosiale uitsluiting aan te spreek. Die navorsing dui daarop dat ′n paradigmaskuif nodig is om regstellende aksie te herkonseptualiseer as ′n beleid wat nie net fokus op die bereiking van ‘billike verteenwoordiging’ van benadeelde groepe in die werkplek of klaskamer nie, maar ook voorsiening maak vir die ontwikkeling van menslike vermoë. Dit kan bereik word deur die aanvaarding van ’n uitgebreide siening van regstellende aksie en deur die benutting van klas as een van menige faktore wat in ag geneem word om die bevoordeeldes van die beleid te identifiseer.
Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Law
National Research Fund

In this article, the author introduces the main features and fundamentals of Private Law. Then, he makes a brief tour of the areas covered by private law within the system. Finally, through a comparison between the operation of private law and public law, the different logic to which each responds is emphasized.
En el presente artículo, el autor realiza una introducción a las principales características y fundamentos del Derecho Privado. Luego, hace un breve recorrido sobre las áreas que abarca el derecho privado dentro del ordenamiento. Finalmente, a través de una comparación entre el funcionamiento del derecho privado y del derecho público, se enfatiza la lógica distinta a la que cada uno responde.

Le droit anglais ne connaît ni propriété publique ni service public, personnalité morale de droit public ou dualisme juridictionnel. À défaut, le droit anglais met en œuvre une "échelle" de publicisation des biens. Pour identifier les biens publics, cette étude s'appuie sur l'existence d'un droit public substantiel, qui n'a pas encore fait l'objet d'une reconnaissance formelle en droit anglais. Ce droit public substantiel doit être distingué du judicial review, qualifié par les juristes anglais d'administrative law, mais qui ne constitue qu'un droit public processuel. La substantialité du droit public anglais réside dans l'exorbitance diffuse de règles par rapport au droit commun, lequel comprend les règles de common law et d'equity, mais aussi les règles issues du corpus législatif. Grâce à ce régime exorbitant, nous identifions deux catégories de biens publics sur le fondement des critères organique et fonctionnel. D'abord, les biens sont publics sur le fondement du critère organique, en raison du caractère public de la qualité de leur propriétaire. En droit anglais, il existe, selon nous, deux catégories de propriétaires publics : la Couronne, propriétaire public par les privilèges dont elle bénéficie par la logique organique inhérente au souverain ; et, en raison de l'acception anglaise de la propriété, le public lui-même. Ensuite, les biens sont publics sur le fondement du critère fonctionnel en raison de l'intérêt public poursuivi par leur affectation. C'est le cas des entités ayant un objet charitable, ou bien encore des sociétés privatisées - étant précisé qu'en l'absence de personnalité morale de droit public, la privatisation ne peut être conçue dans son sens continental
Against the backdrop of French public law with its separate administrative and ordinary courts, French lawyers often assume that English law does not have a system of public law. This is inaccurate. This thesis aims to demonstrate the existence of a substantive public law in the English legal system. It does so by identifying a number of public assets. Substantive public law should be distinguished from judicial review, which is not substantive but procedural public law. The substance of English public law lies in a multitude of rules that deviate from the rest of the legal system. These rules are found not only in common law and equity, but also in statute and in delegated legislation. From the analysis of these derogative rules, it appears that public assets enjoy privileged legal treatment. This is triggered either by the "publicness" of the asset, such as the Crown or the public itself, or by the pursuit of the public interest, regardless of the public nature of the owner. My research reveals two sets of substantive public law rules applying to public assets. The first comprise adverse possession when applied to Crown lands and town or village greens. The second set encompasses charities, and assets owned by privatised services

Les règles de conflit de lois n’ont pas toutes la même autorité. Les parties, et même le juge, peuvent être autorisés à passer outre à la désignation opérée par la règle de conflit. Les parties sont parfois libres d’écarter par convention la loi objectivement désignée (règles de conflit supplétives), parfois tenues par la désignation opérée, qui s’impose à elles (règles de conflit impératives). Le juge est tantôt tenu, tantôt libre de relever d’office l’internationalité du litige, et d’en déduire l’application de la règle de conflit. Le choix d’envisager ensemble des questions aussi variées peut étonner, mais c’est celui de la jurisprudence. L’autorité des règles de conflit y est définie de manière conjointe, à l’égard des parties comme du juge, à l’aune de considérations substantielles. Ainsi, parce qu’une demande en recherche de paternité relève, en droit substantiel, d’une matière d’ordre public, et qu’elle intéresse l’état des personnes, réputé indisponible, la règle de conflit qui lui est applicable sera impérative et mise en œuvre, au besoin d’office, par le juge. Inversement, si la prétention relève d’une matière largement supplétive ou vise des droits disponibles, la règle de conflit applicable sera supplétive, et le juge ne sera pas tenu de la relever d’office. Ce sont donc des considérations substantielles qui définissent, en jurisprudence, l’autorité des règles de conflit à l’égard des parties comme du juge.Cependant, ce régime n’est plus celui du droit international privé européen. D’abord, les règlements européens n’ont défini l’autorité des règles de conflit qu’à l’égard des parties, laissant à chaque Etat membre le soin de déterminer leur autorité à l’égard du juge. Ensuite, la définition européenne de l’impérativité des règles de conflit fait abstraction de toute considération substantielle, en retenant une supplétivité de principe pour l’ensemble des règles de conflit unifiées à l’échelle européenne. La jurisprudence a-t-elle raison de définir l’autorité des règles de conflits exclusivement à l’aune de considérations substantielles ? Non, car cela revient à nier que l’effet juridique des règles de conflit est imputé selon des considérations propres à la justice conflictuelle. Pour autant, on ne saurait, à l’instar du législateur européen, exclure toute considération substantielle. Le présupposé des règles de conflit vise des questions de droit substantiel. Les règles de conflit sont donc construites en contemplation de considérations substantielles. Dès lors, si ces dernières ne sauraient dicter à elles seules l’autorité des règles de conflit, on ne saurait, non plus, en faire totalement abstraction
Choice-of-law rules do not all have the same authority. The parties, and even the judge, may be allowed to override the designation made by the conflict rule. The parties are sometimes free to depart, by convention, from the designated law (suppletory choice-of-law rules), sometimes bound by the designation made (imperative choice-of-law rules). The judge is sometimes obliged, sometimes free to raise ex officio the internationality of the dispute, and to deduce from it the application of the choice-of-law rule. Considering together such varied questions may be surprising, but it is the approach adopted by French case law. The authority of choice-of-law rules is defined jointly, according to substantive considerations. As a matter of example, an affiliation proceeding is, in French substantive law, a matter of public policy regarding someone’s family status, and deemed to concern an unwaivable right. Therefore, the applicable choice-of-law rule will be imperative and applied ex officio by the judge. Conversely, if the claim falls within a largely suppletory subject matter or relates to waivable rights, the applicable choice-of-law rule will be suppletory, and the judge will not be required to apply it ex officio. Therefore, the authority of choice-of-law rules is defined, with respect to both the parties and the judge, according to substantive considerations.However, this regime is no longer that of European private international law. Firstly, the European regulations have only defined the authority of their choice-of-law rules with respect to the parties, leaving it up to each Member State to determine their authority over the judge. Secondly, the European definition of their authority over the parties disregards any substantive consideration, and retains a whole set of suppletory choice-of-law rules, regardless of the subject-matter. Is case law justified in defining the authority of choice-of-law rules solely on the basis of substantive considerations ? No, because choice-of-law rules designate the applicable law according to choice-of-law considerations. However, one cannot, like the European legislator, exclude any substantive consideration. The supposition of choice-of-law rules concerns substantive law issues. Choice-of-law rules are, thus, devised according to substantive considerations. Therefore, if these alone cannot define the authority of choice-of-law rules, they cannot be totally ignored either

Após 15 anos de sua adoção pelos Membros da Organização Mundial do Comércio, o Acordo sobre os Aspectos da Propriedade Intelectual Relacionados ao Comércio (TRIPS) ainda permanece como um dos pilares das modernas instituições do sistema internacional da propriedade intelectual e merece contínua análise de seus efeitos sobre países em desenvolvimento. Nesse sentido, tendências expansionistas e níveis mais elevados de proteção dos direitos de propriedade intelectual, nas distintas esferas do multilareralismo, bilateralismo e regionalismo, são, no entanto, confrontadas com as necessidades reais dos países em desenvolvimento, que ainda devem explorar as flexibilidades existentes no Direito Internacional da Propriedade Intelectual. Isso parece ser evidente após a fase de transição do Acordo TRIPS. A implementação de obrigações relacionadas à proteção substantiva e procedimentos de aplicação efetiva da proteção (observância) dá lugar para controvérsias resultantes das demandas pelo acesso aos bens do conhecimento - bens da tecnologia e informação na ordem internacional. O presente trabalho oferece contribuição para o estudo do Direito Internacional da Propriedade Intelectual na Era Pós-OMC e propõe uma análise e reavaliação de seus elementos, princípios e objetivos. Enfatiza a tarefa imperativa de redefinição do equilíbrio intrínseco da propriedade intelectual e a manutenção e expansão do domínio público, concebidos como valores de ordem pública internacional. Nesse contexto, o trabalho propõe analisar os objetivos futuros de um regime internacional da propriedade intelectual, em parte consolidados pelos proponentes da Declaração de Doha sobre TRIPS e Saúde Pública e a Agenda da OMPI para o Desenvolvimento. Em sua estrutura, o trabalho divide-se em três partes. A primeira parte (Status Quo: O Presente e o Passado dos Direitos de Propriedade Intelectual na Ordem Internacional) analisa as políticas e objetivos justificam o regime internacional da propriedade intelectual, seus fundamentos no Pós-OMC/TRIPS e convergência das competências relacionadas à propriedade intelectual na ordem internacional. A segunda parte (O Passado Revisitado rumo ao Futuro dos Direitos de Propriedade Intelectual) aborda as implicações das tendências expansionistas e fortalecimento dos padrões de proteção da propriedade intelectual, concentrando-se em dois casos principais: a harmonização substantiva e os sistemas globais de proteção e observância dos direitos de propriedade intelectual. A terceira parte (Futuro dos Direitos de Propriedade Intelectual na Ordem Internacional) propõe a redefinição dos princípios e objetivos centrais do Direito Internacional da Propriedade Intelectual no Pós-OMC (equilíbrio, transparência, cooperação internacional e transferência de tecnologia) e a manutenção e expansão do domínio público, flexibilidades e opções para acesso aos bens da tecnologia e informação.
After 15 years from its adoption by the Member States of World Trade Organization, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) still remains as one of the main pillars of the modern institutions of international intellectual property system and deserves a continuous assessment analysis of its overall impacts on developing countries, their innovation systems and developmental concerns. In this sense, expansionist trends and higher levels of protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in multilateral, regional and bilateral levels - are nevertheless confronted with the actual needs of developing countries in exploring existing and pending flexibilities within the international intellectual property legal regime. This appears to be true particularly after the post-transitional phase of TRIPS Agreement, where implementation of the multilateral obligations related to substantive protection and enforcement procedures gave rise to considerable contentious issues emerging from demands for access to global public goods, knowledge goods. This Doctoral Thesis offers a contribution to the current debate on International Intellectual Property Law in Post-WTO Era and proposes an analysis and reappraisal of its elements, principles and objectives. The work aims at focusing the imperative task of redefining the intrinsic balance of intellectual property and maintenance and expansion of the public domain as values of an international ordre public. In this context, we analyze the systemic objectives of a prospective international intellectual property regime, which were in part consolidated by the proponents of Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health of 2001 and WIPO Development Agenda. In the first part (Status Quo: Past and Present of Intellectual Property in International Order) we analyze the main development of the current international intellectual property regime, its foundations in Post WTO/TRIPS, and convergent intellectual property related competences in international legal order. The second part (Present revisited towards the future of intellectual property rights) approaches the implications of expansionist trends and strengthening of standards of IP protection. In this case, our work focuses on two particular cases: the substantive harmonization and global protection systems and enforcement of intellectual property rights. The third part (Future of Intellectual Property Rights in International Legal System) further analyses core objectives and principles of International Intellectual Property Law in Post-WTO (balance, transparency, international cooperation and transfer of technology) and proposals for the maintenance and expansion of public domain, flexibilities and options for the access to the knowledge goods.

In view of the fact that the obligational relationship can no longer be perceived as a static legal category and yet, due to the fact that the obligation no longer shows a mere interaction between opposing parties whose willful imperative overrode the righteousness of the negotiation based on general duties of demeanor, there arises the need to assess the Substantial Performance Doctrine in light of an open legal system that is aimed at turning the dictates of the 1988 Constitution into reality when it comes to private dealings, thus resulting in what is commonly referred to as Civil-Constitutional Law. Therefore, one chooses to look into the said doctrine by taking obligation as a proceeding focused on disrupting obligational relationships. Furthermore, an assessment is needed of how the Substantial Performance Doctrine works when it comes to external procedures, how it becomes known, and what its impact on procedural rules that deal with Substantive Law exceptions is. In conclusion, boundaries are drawn that home in on the Theory, allow its historical development in the Superior Court of Justice to be assessed, and work as a foundation for the entire Brazilian legal system.
Tendo em vista que a relação obrigacional já não pode mais ser percebida como uma categoria jurídica estanque e, ainda, devido ao fato da obrigação já não representar uma mera interação entre sujeitos opositores cujo imperativo volitivo subjugava a retidão negocial amparada em deveres gerais de conduta, desperta-se a necessidade de avaliar a Teoria do adimplemento substancial à luz de um sistema jurídico aberto e imbuído do propósito de concretizar os ditames da Constituição de 1988, nas relações entre particulares, resultando no que se convencionou chamar de Direito Civil-constitucional. Para tanto, opta-se por iniciar a investigação da referida Teoria pela obrigação vista como processo com foco na perturbação das relações obrigacionais. Ademais, busca-se a verificação do comportamento da Teoria do adimplemento substancial em caráter processual externo, sua veiculação e impacto nas regras processuais na linha das exceções de direito material. Por fim, propõe-se organizar balizas de reconhecimento da Teoria para analisar seu desenvolvimento histórico no Superior Tribunal de Justiça e que sirvam como base para todo o sistema jurídico brasileiro.

Contrairement aux autres biens meubles, les navires, les aéronefs et les objets spatiaux affectés à la navigation internationale sont rattachés à un Etat. Le lien de droit public établi entre ces engins et l’Etat est communément appelé « nationalité ». Mais ce terme n’exprime pas à leur propos une institution à tous égards identique à la nationalité des personnes. Le rattachement examiné ne repose en effet pas sur des éléments de fait (naissance, ascendance etc.), mais uniquement sur un acte administratif interne, l’immatriculation. L’étude de la pratique, notamment des conventions internationales et des législations nationales, montre clairement que – contrairement à ce qu’on soutient souvent – il n’y a pas lieu de subordonner ce rattachement à un lien effectif. Ce qui importe, compte tenu notamment du fait que ces engins évoluent dans des espaces soustraits à toute compétence territoriale, est d’identifier l’Etat qui est seul compétent à l’égard de l’« ensemble organisé » formé par le véhicule, les personnes et la cargaison à bord, et qui est responsable de ses activités. Le droit international interdit dès lors la double immatriculation, mais il laisse aux Etats le pouvoir discrétionnaire de déterminer les conditions d’attribution de leur « nationalité », sans subordonner l’opposabilité internationale de celle-ci à quelque autre exigence que ce soit. Le danger est toutefois que cela favorise un certain laxisme de l’Etat d’immatriculation, ce qui exposerait au risque que des dommages graves soient causés aux personnes impliquées dans les activités de ces engins et – surtout – aux tiers. Mais ce sont les obligations internationales imposées et les droits corrélatifs reconnus dans le chef de l’Etat d’immatriculation qui sont déterminants à cet égard et non quelque mystérieuse « effectivité » du rattachement. Autrement dit, s’il n’est pas nécessaire d’imposer à l’Etat d’immatriculation des conditions internationales limitant sa liberté dans l’attribution de sa « nationalité » aux engins, il est indispensable d’exiger que celui-ci respecte ses obligations, c’est-à-dire exerce effectivement son contrôle et sa juridiction. Cette constatation se vérifie quel que soit l’engin en cause. Le rattachement créé par l’immatriculation constitue donc une institution "sui generis", commune aux navires, aéronefs et objets spatiaux et dont le régime juridique est encadré par le droit international
Unlike any other movable property, ships, aircraft and space objects that are engaged in international navigation are linked to a State. The legal connection established between these craft/vessels and the State is commonly referred to as “nationality”. However, in this case the term does not represent an institution identical in all respects to the nationality of persons. With regard to vessels, the legal connection to a State is not based on factual elements (such as birth, descent etc.), but merely on the internal administrative act of registration. The study of State practice, notably international conventions and national laws, clearly shows that – contrary to what is often argued – there is no need to make this connection dependent on a pre-existing effective link. What matters most, given that these craft navigate in international space beyond the territorial jurisdiction of sovereign States, is to identify the State that holds sole jurisdiction over said “organized entity” consisting of the vehicle, the persons and the cargo on board and that is responsible for its activities. Public international law therefore prohibits dual registration, but leaves States free to determine the conditions under which they will confer their “nationality”, without imposing any other requirement for the opposability of this legal bond to third States. The danger is that this situation encourages laxity on the part of the States of registry and therefore creates the potential for serious damage incurred by persons involved in these vessels’ activities and – mostly – by third persons. In this regard, it is the international obligations and corresponding rights of the States of registry which are critical, and not a mysterious “effectiveness” of the legal bond. In other words, it is not necessary to impose on the State of registry any international conditions which would limit its freedom with regard to the conferral of its “nationality” upon vessels. It is however indispensable to require that said State complies with its obligations, meaning that it has to effectively exercise its jurisdiction and control over those craft. This statement holds true regardless of the craft concerned. The legal bond created by the registration therefore constitutes a "sui generis" institution, common to ships, aircraft and space objects, and whose legal regime is governed by international law

This thesis examines the doctrine of public law estoppel and similar doctrines, such as substantive legitimate expectation, which seek to give substantive protection to people's expectations arising from their dealings with public bodies and officials. The substantive protection of expectations in public law is controversial and this thesis considers whether the concerns raised about its application have any sound basis. I review the case-law in which the courts have considered whether to apply estoppel in public law or otherwise extend the doctrine of legitimate expectation to substantive outcomes. Particular attention is paid to the "spill-over" of estoppel from private law into public law. I discuss whether there is any real difference between the doctrines which seek to give substantive protection to expectations. I conclude there is no material difference between the approaches or their inherent ability to respond to the concerns raised by the opponents of substantive protection. I then consider the notion of legal certainty in the law - the conceptual principle on which the doctrines of estoppel and legitimate expectation are based. I conclude that this principle has a strong foundation and creates a powerful argument for protecting expectations. I then examine the apparent concerns that arise from achieving legal certainty in public law and draw out the specific objections to applying public law estoppel and substantive legitimate expectation. I critique each of these objections and conclude that none of them present an insurmountable hurdle to the application of estoppel or substantive legitimate expectation in public law. I conclude by setting out a number of "touchstones" to assist in the case-by-case assessment of whether expectations should be protected. The touchstones attempt to place a greater emphasis on the underlying theoretical justification for protecting expectations and to ensure the assessment deals with the concerns that were raised about bringing the concept of legal certainty into public law.

Public procurement-related crimes (in Czech republic) (summary of the dissertation) Vladislav Hřebíček In his paper, the author focuses on the area of public procurement-related crimes in the Czech Republic. As there has been no comprehensive coverage on the subject so far, the paper's primary ambition is to sum up the current state of knowledge while critically considering particular resources (mainly legislation and practice of courts), overlapping significantly into the area of daily practice of detecting such crimes and gathering evidence. In the first chapter, the author provides definitions for key terms and examines the term procurement from the perspectives of its legal definition as well as its interpretation based on court practice. Furthermore, the chapter specifies what is to be understood as procurement-related crime, placing this type of crime within the broader context of economic crime. At the same time, it offers answers to the related criminological questions and presents statistical data provided by the Police of the Czech Republic and the Czech Ministry of Interior. The second chapter gives the reader a historical overview of this area of law mainly from the perspective of criminal law. Covering the timeframe of 1918 (when the previous legislation was adopted) until the present day, it...

The legal historical development of fairness in the South African common law of contract is investigated in the context of the political, social and economic developments of the last four centuries. It emerges that the common law of contract is still dominated by the ideologies of individualism and economic liberalism which were imported from English law during the nineteenth century. Together with the theories of legal positivism and formalism which are closely related to parliamentary sovereignty and the classical rule of law, these ideals were transposed into the common law of contract through the classical model of contract law which emphasises freedom and sanctity of contract and promotes legal certainty. This approach resulted in the negation of the court’s equitable discretion and the limitation of good faith which sustain the social and economic inequalities that were created under colonialism and exacerbated under apartheid rule. In stark contrast, the modern human rights culture grounded in human dignity and aimed at the promotion of substantive equality led to the introduction of modern contract theory in other parts of the world. The introduction of the Constitution as grounded in human dignity and aimed at the achievement of substantive equality has resulted in a sophisticated jurisprudence on human dignity that reflects a harmonisation between its Western conception as based on Kantian dignity and ubuntu which provides an African understanding thereof. In this respect, ubuntu plays an important role in infusing the common law of contract with African values and in promoting substantive equality between contracting parties in line with modern contract theory. It is submitted that this approach to human dignity should result in the development of good faith into a substantive rule of the common law of contract which can be used to set aside an unfair contract term or the unfair enforcement thereof.
Private Law
LL. D.

Substantive gender equality has yet to be achieved in South Africa. As such, when a decision is made for one of the spouses to a civil marriage to stay at home and care for the children born of the marriage, or make career sacrifices to care for children, that spouse is usually the wife. As a result, while the husband continues to amass wealth and grow his earning potential, the wife is unable to do so. In circumstances where such spouses are married out of community of property or subject to the accrual system with onerous exclusion clauses in the antenuptial contract, the wife may be left with little more than a claim for rehabilitative maintenance in the event of a divorce. The courts only have the discretion to make an equitable distribution of marital property in civil marriages with complete separation of property concluded prior to 1 November 1984 (or 2 December 1988) and customary marriages. It is arguable that this limitation of the judicial discretion violates the equality clause contained in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. A broad judicial discretion to equitably redistribute the spouses’ assets upon divorce is therefore proposed in this dissertation.
Private Law
LL.M.

Dissertação de Mestrado em Direito apresentada à Faculdade de Direito
The purpose of this work is to present a study about energy performance contracting, mainly in the public sector, as an instrument that dedicates itself to the prosecution of targets related to the reduction of external energy dependence.The energy savings performance contract can be defined as a contractual agreement between the beneficiary and the provider of an energy efficiency improvement measure, verified and monitored during the whole term of the contract, where investments in that measure are paid for in relation to a contractually agreed level of energy efficiency improvement or other agreed energy performance criterion, such as financial savings. The regulation of these contracts was introduced, in Portugal, by the Decreto-Lei n.º 29/2011 of 28 February, and developed through the Portaria n.º 60/2013 of 5 February, whose analysis fills a significant part of this study. Firstly, we have made a generic approach to Energy Efficiency Law, beginning with initial and historical considerations, through which we introduced the subject of energy performance contracts as an economic opportunity and also as an instrument for the implementation of a policy. Furthermore, we have dedicated a chapter to the analysis of energy performance contracts in private law - for historical and context reasons -, which, mainly, aims for the search of solutions that allow the overcome of a legal loophole in this matter. In greater detail we developed a study of public procurement of energy efficiency services, namely of the questions related with its framework, its legal nature, the qualification of energy services companies, the procurement procedures of energy savings performance contracts, and the multiple aspects connected with the execution phase of the contract, also mentioning some supervisory mechanisms.
O presente trabalho tem por objectivo a realização de um estudo em torno da contratualização da eficiência energética, sobretudo, na Administração Pública, enquanto instrumento tendente à prossecução das metas de redução da dependência energética do exterior.O contrato de gestão de eficiência energética pode ser definido como um acordo contratual celebrado entre o beneficiário e a parte que aplica uma medida de melhoria da eficiência energética, verificada e acompanhada durante todo o período do contrato, nos termos do qual os investimentos nessa medida são pagos por contrapartida de um nível de melhoria da eficiência energética definido contratualmente ou de outro critério de desempenho energético que tenha sido acordado, nomeadamente economias financeiras.A disciplina destes contratos foi introduzida, em Portugal, pelo Decreto-Lei n.º 29/2011, de 28 de Fevereiro, e desenvolvida através da Portaria n.º 60/2013, de 5 de Fevereiro, cuja análise ocupa grande parte do estudo.Num primeiro momento, é feita uma abordagem genérica ao direito da eficiência energética, com considerações iniciais e históricas, onde se introduz o tema dos contratos de desempenho energético enquanto oportunidade económica e, bem assim, enquanto instrumento de implementação de uma política.Dedica-se, também, um capítulo à análise dos contratos de desempenho energético no direito privado, por razões históricas e de contextualização, que visa, principalmente, a busca de soluções que permitam preencher a lacuna legislativa nesta matéria.De um modo mais aprofundado, procede-se ao estudo da contratação pública de serviços energéticos, designadamente das questões relacionadas com o seu enquadramento, a sua natureza jurídica, a qualificação das empresas de serviços energéticos, o procedimento de formação do contrato de gestão de eficiência energética, e os vários aspectos ligados à fase de execução do contrato, aludindo-se ainda a alguns mecanismos de supervisão.

Przedmiotem rozprawy był przegląd oraz ocena metod, przy pomocy których systemy prawne regulują spółki zagraniczne. Przez spółkę zagraniczną rozumiano spółkę, która została utworzona przez obcy porządek prawny i do której taki obcy porządek prawny się przyznaje. W pracy przeprowadzono badania porównawcze, analizując systemy prawne wybranych państw angielskiego, niemieckiego oraz francuskiego kręgu językowego, jak również rozwiązania polskie oraz holenderskie.Kluczowe znaczenie w rozprawie odegrał podział na metodę kolizyjną oraz metodę merytoryczną, a zasadnicza teza rozprawy mówiła, że metoda kolizyjna jest nadużywana i powinna w niektórych przypadkach ustąpić miejsca metodzie merytorycznej.Wśród współczesnych kolizyjnych regulacji spółek zagranicznych można wyróżnić trzy grupy. Po pierwsze, rozwiązania, które poddają wszystkie zdarzenia i stosunki spółki rządom prawa, które niekoniecznie spółkę utworzyło. Najważniejszy przypadek tego typu regulacji stanowi teoria siedziby rzeczywistej. Potencjalnie usuwa ona spod rządów prawa inkorporacji również zdarzenia z udziałem aktów publicznych oraz stosunki organizacyjne - dla regulacji których nadaje się tylko porządek inkorporacji. Jedynie w tym systemie prawnym zostały wydane odpowiednie akty publicznego i wyłącznie do niego zostały dostosowane stosunki organizacyjne. Druga kategoria to rozwiązania kolizyjne, które zawsze kierują do porządku macierzystego spółki, w tym przede wszystkim teoria inkorporacji. Faktycznie powstrzymują się one od regulacji stosunków korporacyjnych zagranicznych spółek. Trzecią grupę stanowią ograniczone rozwiązania kolizyjne, które poddają własnemu prawu tylko niektóre stosunki spółek zagranicznych blisko związanych z własnym obszarem. Są one zorientowane praktycznie i zazwyczaj obejmują stosunki, które nadają się do skutecznej regulacji kolizyjnej.Dwie najważniejsze kategorie merytorycznych regulacji spółek zagranicznych to uznanie oraz przepisy nakładające dodatkowe obowiązki na podmioty stosunków korporacyjnych. Uznanie polega na rozciągnięciu na system uznający skutków prawnych powstałych pod rządami systemu obcego. Należy je stosować wobec zdarzeń prawnych, których elementem jest akt publiczny o charakterze konstytutywnym oraz do stosunków organizacyjnych. Przepisy nakładające dodatkowe obowiązki na spółkę zagraniczną lub podmioty w nią zaangażowane nie regulują bezpośrednio stosunków korporacyjnych. Przede wszystkim wymagają one od spółek zagranicznych ujawnienia określonych informacji w rejestrze państwa przyjmującego oraz ustanowienia na miejscu przedstawiciela i wskazania adresu. Mogą one jednak również nakładać na osoby zaangażowane w spółkę obowiązek określonego ułożenia jej stosunków korporacyjnych i w ten sposób pośrednio je normować. Sankcje za naruszenie tych przepisów mogą przypominać faktyczne konsekwencje zastosowania rozwiązań kolizyjnych, jednak ich wykorzystanie nie prowadzi do niedogodności, z jakimi wiąże się regulacja kolizyjna.Najważniejsze zagadnienie na tle polskiej ustawy o prawie prywatnym międzynarodowym to wykładnia pojęcia siedziby, którym posługuje się ona dla wyznaczenia prawa właściwego dla osób prawnych. Owa siedziba powinna być rozumiana jako siedziba statutowa, a nie jako siedziba rzeczywista. Taka konieczność wynika z orzecznictwa Trybunału Sprawiedliwości Unii Europejskiej, które nakazuje, by spółka, która przeniosła siedzibę rzeczywistą w ramach Europejskiej Wspólnoty Gospodarczej, była uznawana jako spółka państwa swojej inkorporacji. Polska ustawa stanowi co prawda, że przeniesienie siedziby w ramach EOG nie prowadzi do utraty podmiotowości prawnej, ale wyjątek wprowadzony przez ten przepis jest zbyt wąski, aby uczynić zadość wymogom prawa europejskiego. Za teorią siedziby statutowej przemawiają również liczne względy funkcjonalne.
The subject of the thesis was the assessment of methods with which legal systems regulate foreign companies. Foreign company was understood as a company which has been incorporated by a foreign legal system and which is recognized by this system as its own. A comparative research was carried out in the dissertation, covering legal systems of selected English, German and French speaking countries, as well as Polish and Dutch law.Crucial for the dissertation was the distinction between the conflict-of-laws and substantive methods and its main thesis was that the conflict-of-laws method is used too often and should yield precedence to the substantive method in some cases.Among modern conflict-of-laws regulations of foreign companies three groups can be distinguished. First, solutions which subject all legal events and legal relations of a company to substantial law which did not necessarily create the company. The most important instance of the regulations of this kind is the real seat theory. Potentially it removes from authority of the law of incorporation, among others, legal events which include public acts and organizational legal relations – whereas those can effectively be governed only by the law of incorporation. Only within the law of incorporation relevant public acts have been issued and only to this law organizational legal relations have been adjusted. The second category of the conflict-of-laws regulations consists in solutions which always indicate parent law of a company as applicable. They include especially the theory of incorporation. In fact, these solutions refrain from regulation of corporate relations of foreign companies. The third group consists in limited conflict-of-laws regulations which subject to their own substantive law only selected relations of foreign companies closely connected with their country. They are practically oriented and usually cover relations which are suitable for effective conflict-of-laws regulation.Two most important categories of substantive regulations of foreign companies are the recognition and provisions imposing additional obligations on parties of corporate relations. The recognition consists in extension of legal effects which arose under a foreign legal system to the recognizing system. It should be applied to legal events which include constitutive public acts and to organizational relations. Provisions imposing additional obligations on foreign companies or persons involved in them do not regulate directly corporate relations. Above all, they require from foreign companies disclosure of certain information in the register of the admitting country and appointment of a representative and indication of an address there. They may, however, impose on persons involved in a company an obligation to specifically arrange its corporate relations and in this manner indirectly regulate these relations. Legal sanctions for breach of these provisions may resemble actual consequences of use of the real seat theory, but their application does not result in problems associated with the conflict-of-laws regulation.The most important question with respect to the Polish Act on the Private International Law is interpretation of the term “seat”, which the Act uses to designate law applicable to legal entities. It should be understood as the seat set in articles of association and not as the real seat. This results from the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which mandates that a company transferring its real seat within the European Economic Area be recognized as the company of the country of its incorporation. Although the Polish Act provides that transfer of the seat within the EEA does not result in loss of legal personality of the company, nevertheless this exception is not broad enough to satisfy requirements of the European law. Many functional arguments also speak in favour of the statutory seat theory.