Hard Law, Soft Law and Self-regulation: Seeking Better Governance for Science and Technology in the EU

<p>Legislative powers of the Council of Europe have a crucial impact on the domestic legal systems of the EU Member States including substantive administrative law, i.e. such an area of administrative law which defines rights and responsibilities of the public administration bodies and citizens. The legislation created by the Council of Europe’s bodies has a great impact on the areas of law which were earlier regarded as the exclusive responsibility of a given country. The Council of Europe has always been a major source of standard setting. This paper analyses selected areas of substantive administrative law taking into account hard law and soft law documents developed under the auspices of the Council of Europe.</p>

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European employment policies

European Labour Law Journal ◽

10.1177/2031952517712117 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 111-121

Author(s):

Manfred Weiss

Keyword(s):

Critical Analysis ◽

Legal Framework ◽

Soft Law ◽

Labour Law ◽

Employment Policies ◽

Freedom Of Movement ◽

The Third ◽

Hard Law ◽

Labour Standards ◽

The Eu

This article provides a critical analysis of the EU Employment Policies legal framework. The need to focus on both the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of labour is highlighted in the first part. The second part deals with the quantitative aspects, addressing the Employment chapter, State aid, and the freedom of movement for workers. The third part discusses the qualitative side – providing an overview on the EU labour law – and addresses the limitation of the EU’s legislative powers and the need for minimum labour standards. The conclusion underlines the difficulties to get further hard law and the soft law inadequacy.

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Regional Harmonization of Competition Law and Policy: An ASEAN Approach

Asian Journal of International Law ◽

10.1017/s2044251312000124 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 291-321 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Huong Ly LUU

Keyword(s):

Dispute Resolution ◽

Competition Policy ◽

Competition Law ◽

Economic Conditions ◽

Soft Law ◽

Law And Policy ◽

Hard Law ◽

Competition Rules ◽

Key Issues ◽

The Eu

The ASEAN Economic Ministers unveiled the ASEAN Regional Guidelines on Competition Policy on 24 August 2010. This is a non-binding document covering all key issues relating to competition law and policy. This article provides a comparative study of the regional harmonization of competition law and policy among the EU, NAFTA, MERCOSUR, CAN, and ASEAN, with a focus on ASEAN. In contrast to the “hard law” approach of the EU, NAFTA, MERCOSUR, and CAN, ASEAN has opted for a “soft law” approach because it is constrained by (1) the traditional “ASEAN Way”; (2) the diversity in economic conditions and competition regimes among its members; and (3) the lack of a supranational body to enforce common competition rules, or, at least, a mechanism for dispute resolution. The author concludes that this modest step which ASEAN has taken in the regional harmonization of competition law and policy is appropriate for the time being.

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A Proposal for Criminal Liability for Breach of Due Diligence Obligations: the European Conflict Minerals Regulation as an Example

European Criminal Law Review ◽

10.5771/2193-5505-2021-1-73 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 73-87

Author(s):

Luis Miguel Vioque

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Human Rights ◽

Criminal Law ◽

Criminal Liability ◽

Soft Law ◽

Due Diligence ◽

Conflict Minerals ◽

Hard Law ◽

The Eu

In recent years, the international community has adopted standards aimed at encouraging States to promote the development and implementation of human rights compliance programmes by companies. This has been the case for conflict minerals, where soft law recommendations have been translated into a European Union (EU) hard law standard that sets out several due diligence obligations for importers of certain minerals or metals. This article will examine the origin of the EU Conflict Minerals Regulation and outline the type of compliance and due diligence obligations imposed on EU importers. It also reflects on the role of criminal law as a means of sanctioning the most serious violations of these new due diligence obligations such as traceability and transparency.

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Interacción y eficacia de los mecanismos de la autorregulacion contra la competencia desleal en el comercio y el Derecho mercantil internacional = The interplay and efficacy of the self-regulation and soft law mechanisms against the unfair competition in the International Trade Law

CUADERNOS DE DERECHO TRANSNACIONAL ◽

10.20318/cdt.2020.5192 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 346

Author(s):

Anna María Ruiz Martín

Keyword(s):

International Trade ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Codes Of Conduct ◽

Strong Relationship ◽

Unfair Competition ◽

The Self ◽

Soft Law ◽

Trade Law ◽

International Trade Law ◽

Hard Law

Resumen: El presente artículo analiza la eficacia e interacción de los diferentes mecanismos de la autorregulación o del Soft law en el Comercio internacional contra las prácticas comerciales desleales y/o la competencia desleal. Mecanismos que siempre han sido controvertidos por su naturaleza no vinculante entre otros aspectos. Se trata de poner de relieve ciertos pros y contras de estos mecanismos, su relación con el hard law o las normas del Comercio internacional en las que se ha incluido cierta tutela contra lo que en estas instancias se entiende cómo competencia desleal en el mercado internacional (por ejemplo, el artículo 10 bis CUP incluido en el Tratado ADPIC y algunas disposiciones del Tratado GATT). Por medio de esta relación, que, a pesar de no estar todavía reconocida a nivel institucional, existe y puede mejorar la tutela contra las prácticas comerciales desleales dotándoles de mayor fuerza vinculante ante los tribunales en el ámbito de la litigación transfronteriza, tratando en el artículo la infracción de los mecanismos de la autorregulación, en especial, de lo que se conoce cómo Responsabilidad Social Corporativa y el Compliance, como un posible acto de competencia desleal en cuanto a poder considerarlas, obligaciones de tipo extracontractual.Palabras clave: competencia desleal, prácticas comerciales desleales (B2B-B2C), autorregulación, Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC), compliance, mercado internacional, Hard law, Soft law, OMC, GATT, ADPIC, artículo 10 bis CUP, códigos de conducta.Resumen: El presente artículo analiza la eficacia e interacción de los diferentes mecanismos de la autorregulación o del Soft law en el Comercio internacional contra las prácticas comerciales desleales y/o la competencia desleal. Mecanismos que siempre han sido controvertidos por su naturaleza no vinculante entre otros aspectos. Se trata de poner de relieve ciertos pros y contras de estos mecanismos, su relación con el hard law o las normas del Comercio internacional en las que se ha incluido cierta tutela contra lo que en estas instancias se entiende cómo competencia desleal en el mercado internacional (por ejemplo, el artículo 10 bis CUP incluido en el Tratado ADPIC y algunas disposiciones del Tratado GATT). Por medio de esta relación, que, a pesar de no estar todavía reconocida a nivel institucional, existe y puede mejorar la tutela contra las prácticas comerciales desleales dotándoles de mayor fuerza vinculante ante los tribunales en el ámbito de la litigación transfronteriza, tratando en el artículo la infracción de los mecanismos de la autorregulación, en especial, de lo que se conoce cómo Responsabilidad Social Corporativa y el Compliance, como un posible acto de competencia desleal en cuanto a poder considerarlas, obligaciones de tipo extracontractual.Palabras clave: competencia desleal, prácticas comerciales desleales (B2B-B2C), autorregulación, Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC), compliance, mercado internacional, Hard law, Soft law, OMC, GATT, ADPIC, artículo 10 bis CUP, códigos de conducta.Abstract: This paper analyses the efficacy and interplay of the different mechanisms of the Self-Regulation (Soft Law) in the International Trade Law to fight against the unfair commercial practices or unfair competition. These mechanisms, as it well known, are considered as quite controversial, taking into account their non-binding legal nature. It will be emphasized, despite the above mentioned, that these mechanisms actually, have a strong relationship with certain mechanisms of hard law set out in the International Trade Law which recognize the protection, up to a certain degree, against the unfair competition in the globalized market such as the Article 10 bis PC included in the TRIPS and some provisions of the GATT. Hence, it will be analysed the infraction of soft law rules against unfair competition, namely of the Social Corporate Responsibility and Compliance as a potential act of unfair competition such as a non-contractual obligation. In doing so, it could be reinforces these mechanisms with a more binding nature before the Courts, namely in international litigation against unfair competition.Keywords: unfair competition, unfair commercial practices (B2B-B2C) self-regulation, compliance, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), international market, soft law, hard law, WTO, Article 10 bis PC, GATT, TRIPs, Codes of conduct

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Killing me Softly? Scrutinising the Role of Soft Law in Greece’s Response to COVID-19

European Journal of Risk Regulation ◽

10.1017/err.2020.114 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 59-76

Author(s):

Evangelia (Lilian) TSOURDI ◽

Niovi VAVOULA

Keyword(s):

Asylum Seekers ◽

Personal Data ◽

Fundamental Rights ◽

Soft Law ◽

Freedom Of Movement ◽

Hard Law ◽

Primary Basis ◽

Full Swing ◽

Second Wave

Greece emerged as the EU’s poster child in the fight against COVID-19 during the first few months of the pandemic. In this contribution, we assess Greece’s use of soft regulation in its regulatory response to COVID-19. Using “acts of legislative content”, which can be broadly conceptualised as softly adopted hard law, the Greek government largely achieved flexibility and simplified adoption procedures without having to resort to soft law per se. The role of soft law was limited - it complemented hard law rather than constituting the primary basis of COVID-19 restrictions - but not completely negligible. Soft law instruments regulated the processing of personal data, and was also pivotal in clarifying the criminal sanctioning of COVID-related rule violations. Greece’s success in handling the first wave of the pandemic, while effective, was arguably unfair to asylum seekers who saw their right to apply for asylum curtailed, and their right to freedom of movement restricted when limitations on the rest of the population were lifted. With a second wave of infections currently in full swing, it is imperative to keep scrutinising regulatory responses to ensure that they place the health and dignity of every individual (whoever they might be) at their core and fully respect their fundamental rights.

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Nuclear Powers' Disarmament Obligation under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: Interactions between Soft Law and Hard Law

Leiden Journal of International Law ◽

10.1017/s0922156513000587 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 169-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

ALESSANDRA PIETROBON

Keyword(s):

Nuclear Weapons ◽

Nuclear Test ◽

Good Faith ◽

Soft Law ◽

Legal Obligation ◽

Hard Law ◽

The Us ◽

Test Ban ◽

Nuclear Test Ban ◽

Test Ban Treaty

AbstractThe Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) will not be effective until all the 44 states listed in its Annex 2 ratify it. A special link has been established between the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the CTBT. The disarmament obligation set by Article VI of the NPT, which has not yet been complied with, remains highly controversial. The relevant subsequent practice of the states parties to the NPT shows that the ratification of the CTBT is to be considered the first of the practical steps towards compliance with Article VI. However, as the practical steps do not set any legally binding norms, there is no legal obligation to ratify the CTBT, not even for the 44 states listed in Annex 2 whose ratification is essential. The paper deals with the position of nuclear powers party to the NPT that have not yet ratified the CTBT (most prominently the US and China) and demonstrates that these states should at least provide detailed motivation for their conduct. Otherwise, other states parties to the NPT could consider them as not complying in good faith with Article VI of the NPT and invoke the inadimplenti non est ademplendum rule to justify breaches of their own obligations under the same treaty.

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EU Soft Law in Domestic Legal Systems: Flexibility and Diversity Guaranteed?

Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law ◽

10.1177/1023263x0901600302 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 271-290 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Emilia Korkea-Aho

Keyword(s):

Holistic Approach ◽

Soft Law ◽

New Governance ◽

Member States ◽

Regulatory Instruments ◽

Modes Of Governance ◽

Judicial Recognition ◽

The Eu ◽

New Modes Of Governance

New modes of governance are proliferating at all levels, most prominently in the EU. One main characteristic of new governance is adjustability and revisability in the form of soft law. The non-binding nature of soft law is said to contribute to flexibility and diversity in Member States and to secure national autonomy. However, this article argues that while soft law may not be legally binding, it nevertheless has legal effects that throw flexibility and diversity of national action into doubt. Beginning by demonstrating that soft law may have discernible effects on practices in Member States, at the same time restricting Member State choices, the article goes on to develop a categorisation of those effects and to document them in detail. These are: judicial recognition by the European courts, explicit terms of soft law instruments, which demand special types of national implementing measures, the role played by non-state actors, and hybrid forms of regulatory instruments comprising soft and hard law provisions. The analysis shows a need to add variety to existing research on EU soft law, which has traditionally focused on the role of the judiciary in giving legal effects to soft law. Instead, we should be more attentive to the other three factors when discussing soft law. Besides the more holistic approach, research should also analyse soft law in a more case-specific manner in order to fully grasp the implications of choice of soft law in a domestic legal system.

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EXPRESSÃO MILITAR DO SETOR ESTRATÉGICO ESPACIAL: EVOLUÇÃO E O DIREITO. CASO BRASILEIRO: QUARTA GERAÇÃO DA FORÇA AÉREA BRASILEIRA

De Legibus Revista de Direito ◽

10.53456/dlb.vi.7437 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 0 ◽

Author(s):

José Vagner Vital ◽

Maria Helena fonseca de Souza Rolim

Keyword(s):

Soft Law ◽

Hard Law

A evolução e transformações das tecnologias aplicadas aos usos do espaço exterior interconectadas com o uso militar do espaço exterior a evidenciam a pressão dos fatos sobre o direito, avocando reflexão sobre o corpus juris internacional sobre a questão, em nível de soft law e hard law. Mesmo no contexto de autodefesa, as atividades espaciais militares possuem aspectos ofensivos e defensivos que precisam ser considerados e podem ser executadas ao abrigo da Carta das Nações Unidas (considerando o direito à autodefesa) e do Tratado do Espaço (ao se entender o termo “propósito pacífico” equivalente ao termo “não agressão”, exceto para autodefesa), além de outros tratados que podem ser evocados em situações de conflito, no âmbito do Direito Internacional Humanitário. Este artigo consubstancia o caso brasileiro, onde a Força Aérea Brasileira apresenta o entendimento do Brasil quanto ao Tratado do Espaço e à Carta das Nações Unidas, estruturando sua aplicação militar do espaço exterior de acordo com os documentos políticos e doutrinários do Ministério da Defesa do Brasil, sabidamente, a Política de Defesa Nacional, a Estratégia Nacional de Defesa e o Programa Estratégico de Sistemas Espaciais. As operações militares descritas neste artigo revelam que situações fáticas emergentes carecem de tutela jurídica com elevado grau de efetividade.

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Los Incoterms como instrumento de derecho suave (soft law)

Revista e-mercatoria ◽

10.18601/16923960.v17n1.02 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 47-85

Author(s):

Eduardo Calderón Marenco

Keyword(s):

El Paso ◽

Soft Law ◽

Hard Law ◽

Lex Mercatoria

Derivado de las profundas transformaciones que ha experimentado el Derecho internacional, la Lex Mercatoria y el Derecho suave (Soft law) han emergido como una alternativa al tradicional Derecho duro (Hard law). Con el paso del tiempo el Derecho suave (Soft law) ha ido adquiriendo un mayor protagonismo en el escenario jurídico internacional, posicionándose como un instrumento del que gozan las partes para regular sus transacciones internacionales, aunque carezca de efectos vinculantes. No obstante se encuentra revestido de voluntariedad, por medio de la autonomía conflictual, lo que les otorga un carácter vinculante para las partes. Es así que este Derecho se compone de un amplio espectro de instrumentos, los que encuentran aceptación en los diferentes sistemas jurídicos, en variadas áreas del derecho, y dan respuesta a las necesidades de los diferentes interesados. Empero, en el ámbito comercial internacional estos instrumentos se han nutrido de la Lex Mercatoria, un ejemplo de ello son los Incoterms, usos y costumbres que uniforman y sistematizan este ordenamiento jurídico, creado por los comerciantes, propio de los negocios jurídicos de compraventa internacional de mercadería. Por esto consideramos relevante analizar esta nueva corriente a nivel internacional y su incorporación dinámica en estos instrumentos jurídicos.

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