Articles de la revue

Il est des oeuvres doctrinales qui deviennent incontournables en raison de leur participation à la compréhension de phénomènes juridiques. D’autres le deviennent en raison de la réflexion que l’auteur y développe, de l’originalité de sa démarche et de sa pensée. L’ouvrage recensé entre dans ces deux catégories tant son contenu relatif aux juridictions régionales de protection des droits de l’homme est précis, complet et précieux, et l’approche qui le sous-tend est fondamentale et s’inscrit dans un mouvement de renouveau nécessaire de la théorie du droit international en général et du droit international des droits de l’homme en particulier.

Il est des oeuvres doctrinales qui deviennent incontournables en raison de leur participation à la compréhension de phénomènes juridiques. D’autres le deviennent en raison de la réflexion que l’auteur y développe, de l’originalité de sa démarche et de sa pensée. L’ouvrage recensé entre dans ces deux catégories tant son contenu relatif aux juridictions régionales de protection des droits de l’homme est précis, complet et précieux, et l’approche qui le sous-tend est fondamentale et s’inscrit dans un mouvement de renouveau nécessaire de la théorie du droit international en général et du droit international des droits de l’homme en particulier.

By presenting the Swiss approach to statutory interpretation, ie the pragmatic pluralism of methodologies, this paper underlines that this is a good way for the judge to take into account a basic principle: different cultures, different languages produce different texts. Since the same idea cannot be expressed in the same way in different languages, one cannot stick to the wording in order to find the common meaning of all these various wordings. More visible in multilingual legal regimes, this principle applies, however, also to monolingual systems. It is not possible to stick to a 'clear' wording without a proto-interpretation of such wording through which the judge weighs all the approaches in order to get to a solution that reflects the underlying normative values.

By presenting the Swiss approach to statutory interpretation, ie the pragmatic pluralism of methodologies, this paper underlines that this is a good way for the judge to take into account a basic principle: different cultures, different languages produce different texts. Since the same idea cannot be expressed in the same way in different languages, one cannot stick to the wording in order to find the common meaning of all these various wordings. More visible in multilingual legal regimes, this principle applies, however, also to monolingual systems. It is not possible to stick to a 'clear' wording without a proto-interpretation of such wording through which the judge weighs all the approaches in order to get to a solution that reflects the underlying normative values.

The global debate on corporate purpose and new corporate forms includes a recent legislative reform proposal in Germany focusing on steward ownership. The proposal is part of a wider comparative trend towards the creation of long-term, purpose-driven enterprises and forms of social entrepreneurship across Europe. Steward ownership promotes the use of profits for a chosen purpose and can therefore contribute to sustainable value creation. The legislative proposal includes a permanent asset lock to ensure that profits are reinvested in the company. Shareholders can be remunerated for their work, but they cannot receive dividends or claim more than their capital in the event of liquidation. The asset lock has raised questions about its compatibility with EU law. The article argues that the asset lock is a valuable innovation in European company law and can be designed to meet the requirements of EU law. While the article concludes that the asset lock does not contradict EU law, possible restrictions may be justified. Nevertheless, the draft could be improved during the legislative process by providing for a distinct legal form, including a mission statement, and by allowing cross-border conversions into corporate forms with a comparable asset lock.

The global debate on corporate purpose and new corporate forms includes a recent legislative reform proposal in Germany focusing on steward ownership. The proposal is part of a wider comparative trend towards the creation of long-term, purpose-driven enterprises and forms of social entrepreneurship across Europe. Steward ownership promotes the use of profits for a chosen purpose and can therefore contribute to sustainable value creation. The legislative proposal includes a permanent asset lock to ensure that profits are reinvested in the company. Shareholders can be remunerated for their work, but they cannot receive dividends or claim more than their capital in the event of liquidation. The asset lock has raised questions about its compatibility with EU law. The article argues that the asset lock is a valuable innovation in European company law and can be designed to meet the requirements of EU law. While the article concludes that the asset lock does not contradict EU law, possible restrictions may be justified. Nevertheless, the draft could be improved during the legislative process by providing for a distinct legal form, including a mission statement, and by allowing cross-border conversions into corporate forms with a comparable asset lock.

The theme of rights is so absolutely central to legal-philosophical reflection that when the term 'age of rights' is being used to refer to the period coinciding with the consolidation of contemporary democratic regimes, it means that human rights, democracy, and peace are three necessary moments of the same historical movement: without recognised and effectively protected human rights, there is no democracy; without democracy, there are no minimal conditions for the peaceful resolution of conflicts…

The theme of rights is so absolutely central to legal-philosophical reflection that when the term 'age of rights' is being used to refer to the period coinciding with the consolidation of contemporary democratic regimes, it means that human rights, democracy, and peace are three necessary moments of the same historical movement: without recognised and effectively protected human rights, there is no democracy; without democracy, there are no minimal conditions for the peaceful resolution of conflicts…

Les crypto-monnaies sont peu utilisées en tant que moyen de paiement en Colombie comme au sein de l’Union européenne. Ce constat conduit à s’interroger sur la compatibilité des crypto-monnaies avec le droit du paiement, et en particulier sur les conditions d’admission du pouvoir libératoire des crypto-monnaies, dans une perspective franco-colombienne, qui permet d’aborder la question au travers de deux systèmes de droit civilistes mais soumis à des contextes économiques et politiques différents. À l’analyse, les droits français et colombien du paiement, inadaptés aux crypto-monnaies, n’admettent ces monnaies virtuelles qu’en tant que moyen de paiement conventionnel, faute pour ces dernières de bénéficier d’un pouvoir libératoire universel. Si la législation applicable aux crypto- monnaies s’est récemment renforcée, notamment avec le règlement MICA en Europe, reste à adapter le droit du paiement pour assurer l’admission des crypto-monnaies comme un véritable moyen de paiement, quitte à imposer des mesures de protection de certains utilisateurs. L’usage qui en sera fait dépendra alors de la confiance que l’instrument est capable de susciter.

Les crypto-monnaies sont peu utilisées en tant que moyen de paiement en Colombie comme au sein de l’Union européenne. Ce constat conduit à s’interroger sur la compatibilité des crypto-monnaies avec le droit du paiement, et en particulier sur les conditions d’admission du pouvoir libératoire des crypto-monnaies, dans une perspective franco-colombienne, qui permet d’aborder la question au travers de deux systèmes de droit civilistes mais soumis à des contextes économiques et politiques différents. À l’analyse, les droits français et colombien du paiement, inadaptés aux crypto-monnaies, n’admettent ces monnaies virtuelles qu’en tant que moyen de paiement conventionnel, faute pour ces dernières de bénéficier d’un pouvoir libératoire universel. Si la législation applicable aux crypto- monnaies s’est récemment renforcée, notamment avec le règlement MICA en Europe, reste à adapter le droit du paiement pour assurer l’admission des crypto-monnaies comme un véritable moyen de paiement, quitte à imposer des mesures de protection de certains utilisateurs. L’usage qui en sera fait dépendra alors de la confiance que l’instrument est capable de susciter.

S’il existe depuis longtemps, le discours du « level playing field » s’avère davantage exploité dans un contexte de recomposition géopolitique. Il accompagne une double action publique en économie de marché promue par l’Union européenne. Sur le plan interne, il permet de justifier une action correctrice dans le marché intérieur, qu’il s’agisse du respect de l’ordre concurrentiel ou de la promotion de l’intégration positive. Sur le plan externe, le « level playing field » vise une action protectrice du marché intérieur exploitant le Brussels effect pour rétablir un équilibre entre entreprises européennes et de pays tiers.

S’il existe depuis longtemps, le discours du « level playing field » s’avère davantage exploité dans un contexte de recomposition géopolitique. Il accompagne une double action publique en économie de marché promue par l’Union européenne. Sur le plan interne, il permet de justifier une action correctrice dans le marché intérieur, qu’il s’agisse du respect de l’ordre concurrentiel ou de la promotion de l’intégration positive. Sur le plan externe, le « level playing field » vise une action protectrice du marché intérieur exploitant le Brussels effect pour rétablir un équilibre entre entreprises européennes et de pays tiers.

The 1985 Product Liability Directive (PLD) is currently being revised, with a view to adapting European Union product liability rules to the digital economy and new technologies. The ongoing discussion focuses on technical issues and apparently takes it for granted that the PLD as it stands adequately achieves the policy goals that were initially assigned to it, namely the establishment of a common market and consumer protection. However, a closer analysis shows that harmonising product liability is not needed to create a truly common market and, more importantly, that the PLD is not an effective instrument for consumer protection. A particular cause for concern is that almost no cross- border claims seem to be brought under the Directive, meaning that those injured by defective products are in effect left without a remedy when the producer is not located in the same country as they are. If the new PLD is to be more than mere poster legislation and to contribute effectively to consumer protection, more drastic changes to the current regime are needed than those that are currently being contemplated. The range of potential defendants should be broadened to include suppliers and online marketing platforms as a matter of principle, and the development risk defence as well as the application of a long-stop period in case of bodily injuries should be reconsidered.

The 1985 Product Liability Directive (PLD) is currently being revised, with a view to adapting European Union product liability rules to the digital economy and new technologies. The ongoing discussion focuses on technical issues and apparently takes it for granted that the PLD as it stands adequately achieves the policy goals that were initially assigned to it, namely the establishment of a common market and consumer protection. However, a closer analysis shows that harmonising product liability is not needed to create a truly common market and, more importantly, that the PLD is not an effective instrument for consumer protection. A particular cause for concern is that almost no cross- border claims seem to be brought under the Directive, meaning that those injured by defective products are in effect left without a remedy when the producer is not located in the same country as they are. If the new PLD is to be more than mere poster legislation and to contribute effectively to consumer protection, more drastic changes to the current regime are needed than those that are currently being contemplated. The range of potential defendants should be broadened to include suppliers and online marketing platforms as a matter of principle, and the development risk defence as well as the application of a long-stop period in case of bodily injuries should be reconsidered.