Introduction The definition of the territorial limits of the State of Israel is one of the main reasons behind the conflict in the Middle East, with consequences that often extend beyond the classic issues of international politics. As known, the last massive Israeli expansion occurred in 1967 with the Six-Day War and currently the Golan…
The adjustment that the UK will have to make to accommodate our post-Brexit global trade and security ambitions will involve enormous effort, ingenuity and change. No-one knows what the outcome will be. For almost 50 years, the UK was a member of the European Union. The UK’s trade policy was aligned to the Union in…
Whilst the EU-UK trade negotiations have barely commenced, one thing is already quite clear: the two sides are poles apart on the key issue of level playing field (LPF) provisions and the extent to which these should feature in a future EU-UK free trade agreement. The aim of these provisions, as originally set out in…
Reflecting on digitalization (as a collective term for artificial intelligence, robotization and new technologies) of the workplace draws out the confused intermingling of outcomes and ambitions. The aims of technological innovations entrench an economic understanding of efficiency, often at the expense of social considerations, which pose significant potential to displace human workers. These aims, as…
Please find below the journal abstract of “Statutory Interpretation and the Role of the Courts after Brexit” by Martin Brenncke, published in European Public Law, issue 4, volume 25 (2019) edited by Patrick Birkinshaw. This article evaluates the impact of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 on statutory interpretation and on the role of…
5G is the most advanced technology in mobile communications. In fall 2018, at the forefront in Europe, Italy arranged a successful multi-billion euro auction for 5G spectrum. On the side, the administration allowed a few operators to convert old WiMax licenses to 5G usage, for a few million euro. A legal battle arose. In November…
The ‘digital agricultural revolution’ and ambitions for technology in the workplace Industry 4.0. This is the name used by the European Parliament in 2015 to describe the convergence of changes in a variety of areas, including ‘the design, manufacture, operation and service of manufacturing systems and products.’ The 4.0 in Industry 4.0 denotes the ‘fourth…
In a series of earlier entries on this blog, I have argued that all human activity is skilled; work involves the productive use of one’s skills; the most fundamental right in relation to work must be the right to work; an important derivative right thereof is the right to have one’s skills recognised; and the…
On 13 June 2019, the EU Council adopted the Directive on Work-Life Balance for Parents and Carers. The Directive was proposed in 2017 and it was one of the key legislative initiatives that the European Commission presented alongside its proposal for the European Pillar of Social Rights. It contains significant enhancements to existing EU legislation,…
Introduction Earlier this month, I presented a paper at the Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference at the University of Leeds, ‘On the Nature of Work and the Purpose of Labour Law’. A version of the paper as presented at the conference is available online here. In Part I of this two-part blog post, I concluded…
Please find below the abstract of “Future Partnership in EU–UK Cross-Border Civil Judicial Cooperation” by Zheng Sophia Tang, published in European Foreign Affairs Review, Issue 4, Volume 23 (2018) edited by Jörg Monar and Nanette Neuwahl. In the past forty years, the EU has established a very successful and effective civil judicial cooperation scheme that…
In its first judgment regarding the European Commission’s recent fiscal State aid decisions, the EU General Court (GC) last week annulled the Commission’s decision of 11 January 2016 on Belgium’s so-called “excess profit rulings”. The exemption for “excess” profits The case concerns a specific provision in Belgian tax law, which provides for the possibility to…
AS THE confusion continues over whether the UK’s exit from the EU will be “hard”, “soft” or “just right”, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)has announced certain goods entering Britain from the EU will be allowed through without checks or payment of duty for a temporary period. This approach is consistent with promises from the UK…
On 19 October 2018, the European Commission concluded three agreements with Singapore that will govern the relations between the two markets.[1] In particular, the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement EUSIPA, a mixed agreement that needs to be ratified not only by the European Parliament but also by each Member State, provides for substantive protection standards as…
A recent ruling about electronic invoicing talks about the risks of collecting very large volumes of data under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). For the first time, the Italian Data Protection Authority (“DPA”) used the general warning powers granted by the GDPR. It did so to prevent the National Revenue Agency from interfering too much with citizens’…
Please find below the journal abstract of “VAT and Brexit: The Past, Present and Future” by Jeremy Cape, published in EC Tax Review, Volume 27, Issue 6, edited by B. J. Kiekebeld Exact science rarely emerges during times of febrile political discourse such as that currently revolving around the withdrawal of the UK from the EU….
Please find below the journal abstract of “Brexit and the Common Law Constitution” by Gordon Anthony published in European Public Law Issue 4, Volume 24, 2018 edited by Patrick Birkinshaw. This article considers the implications that Brexit holds for the UK’s ‘common law constitution’ – the body of principles and norms that the courts have developed in case law…
Source: M People, Moving on Up music video. Copyright 1993 Sony Music BMG I. Introduction “You’ve done me wrong, your time is up You took a sip from the devil’s cup You broke my heart, there’s no way back Move right out of here, baby, go on pack your bags” M People, ‘Moving on Up’…
What might happen to the UK’s VAT system after Brexit? Value Added Tax is held up as the paradigmatic example of the process of harmonisation of tax law in the EU. Even in such a famous tax harmonisation example as this, there is still scope for differences in its implementation between Member States. The UK…
Source: https://www.reuters.com The legal position of the UK within the WTO is not in doubt: the UK has always been a full Member of the WTO and will remain so post-Brexit – the problem lies in determining the exact terms and conditions of its membership. It is unlikely that any issues will arise regarding the…
