Résumé: La unificación de las normas de DIPr constituye un valioso mecanismo de integración en el seno de la Comunidad Europea, cuyo potencial resulta reforzado habida cuenta de las limitaciones de la comunitarización de las normas de Derecho privado material. ----
The reassessment of the role assigned to private international law in the context of European integration is linked
to the limitations which private law unification has in the EC. The degree of legal certainty of private transactions that is required to guarantee the good functioning of an integrated area can be achieved by the establishment of uniform choice-of-law rules, with no need of substantive law unification. Such an approach is fully consistent with the basic principles of the Community -arts. 3.h) and 3(B) EC Treaty-. Moreover it safeguards the cultural identity of the Member States and ensures the benefits of competition between legal orders. Notwithstanding the deficiencies of choice-of-law rules as instruments of legal integration, the similarities between the legal orders considered reduce in the Community the shortcomings traditionally linked to the international unification of choice-of -law rules. Although the rules contained in international conventions continue to be very significant, the criteria established in some directives to fix the applicability of its rules to private international relationships deserve special attention. Moreover, Spanish practice shows the uncertainty risks which are linked to the use of directives as a means to harmonize rules of private international law. In this field the trend in the Community must lead to unification (not just harmonization). Otherwise the achievement of the degree of legal certainty required will be at risk. Far reaching consequences on the contents and functioning of the systems of private international law of the Member States derive from the non-discrimination principle and especially from the Community freedoms.
Mots-clés: Integración europea, Unificación jurídica, Reglas de conflicto, Derecho privado europeo
European Integration, Legal Unification, Choice of Law Rules, European Private Law
Résumé: SECTION I: GENERAL OVERVIEW
1. LEGAL SOURCES
1.1. Intellectual Property
1.1.1. International Conventions
1.1.2. EU Law: Approximation of Laws and Community Rights
1.1.3. National Legislation
1.1.4. Institutional Competences
1.2. International Jurisdiction
1.2.1. EU Law: Scope of Application and Grounds of Jurisdiction
1.2.2. International Conventions
1.2.3. National Legislation
1.3. Choice-of-Law
1.3.1. International Conventions
1.3.2.
EU Law: Implications of the new Regulations
1.3.3. National Legislation
1.4. Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments
1.4.1. International Conventions
1.4.2. EU Law
1.4.3. National Legislation
2. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW
2.1. International Jurisdiction
2.1.1. Infringement Claims
2.1.2. Contractual Disputes
2.1.3. Exclusive Jurisdiction on Validity of Rights Subject to Registration
2.2. Applicable Law
2.2.1. Infringement of IP Rights
2.2.2. Territoriality and lex loci protectionis
2.2.3. Contracts Relating to Intellectual or Industrial Property Rights
2.3. Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments
2.3.1 Procedural Issues
2.3.2 Grounds for Non-Recognition
SECTION II: HYPOTHETICAL CASE STUDIES
Case 1. General Special Grounds of Jurisdiction
Case 2. Subject-Matter Jurisdiction
Case 3. Consolidation of Proceedings
Case 4. Choice of Court
Case 5. Parallel Proceedings
Case 6. Principle of Territoriality (Choice of Law)
Case 7. Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights
Case 8. Applicable Law to Initial Ownership
Case 9. Applicable Law to the Transfer of Rights Agreements
Case 10. Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments
Case 11. Provisional Measures and Injunctions
Mots-clés: Spain, Intellectual Property, Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments
Résumé: Social Networking Sites (SNS) as global providers of Internet services raise new challenges in the field of conflict of laws. The most prominent service providers have their headquarters in the US and their business models allow them to offer global services to users around the world under the same terms or conditions. SNS providers typically
have recourse to standard terms intended to be applicable to all their users and include choice of forum and choice of law clauses in favour of US courts and US laws. Against this background, the present contribution analyzes applicable law issues raised by social networking sites from the perspective of the European Union (and its Member States). The article addresses the position of SNS providers in the light of the EU harmonization rules on e-commerce and the influence of the place of establishment in the scope of obligations imposed on them. Also the law applicable to the agreements concluded with users is discussed focusing on the implications of their possible characterization as consumer contracts and on the aspects related to the formation of the contract. Determining the law applicable to online activities involving SNS is also essential for the protection of rights and interests of third parties, in particular with regard to intellectual property and personality rights. Additionally, the effective enforcement of EU law to Internet activities in key areas such as data protection requires now determining the mandatory scope of international application of EU or national law with respect to the activities of SNS.
Mots-clés: social networks, contracts, data protection, consumers, personality rights, intellectual property, intermediary service providers, applicable law
Résumé: Social Networking Sites (SNS) as global providers of Internet services raise new challenges in the field of conflict of laws. The most prominent service providers have their headquarters in the US and their business models allow them to offer global services to users around the world under the same terms or conditions. SNS providers typically
have recourse to standard terms intended to be applicable to all their users and include choice of forum and choice of law clauses in favour of US courts and US laws. Against this background, the present contribution analyzes applicable law issues raised by social networking sites from the perspective of the European Union (and its Member States). The article addresses the position of SNS providers in the light of the EU harmonization rules on e-commerce and the influence of the place of establishment in the scope of obligations imposed on them. Also the law applicable to the agreements concluded with users is discussed focusing on the implications of their possible characterization as consumer contracts and on the aspects related to the formation of the contract. Determining the law applicable to online activities involving SNS is also essential for the protection of rights and interests of third parties, in particular with regard to intellectual property and personality rights. Additionally, the effective enforcement of EU law to Internet activities in key areas such as data protection requires now determining the mandatory scope of international application of EU or national law with respect to the activities of SNS.
Mots-clés: Social networks, Contracts, Data protection, Consumers, Personality rights, Intellectual property, Intermediary service providers, Applicable law
Résumé: This article discusses the limits of Community legislation as a source of uniform law and stresses the difficulties raised by the projects to codify private law in the European Union. Such an approach may be appropriate in the present state of Community integration if limited to rules of mandatory contract law and provisions of Private International Law. Further unification of
private law in Europe requires also significant changes in the institutional framework to create uniform rules and the development of new regulatory techniques. --- Este artículo analiza las carencias de la legislación comunitaria como fuente para la unificación del Derecho privado, destacando las deficiencias de los proyectos de una codificación de amplio alcance del Derecho privado en el seno de la UE. Una pretensión de ese tipo parece apropiada en el estado actual de la integración comunitaria si su alcance se limita a normas de Derecho contractual imperativo así como de Derecho internacional privado. Una mayor unificación del Derecho privado en Europa exige además importantes adaptaciones del marco institucional para la creación de tales normas comunes.
Mots-clés: Private Law, Unification, Institutional Framework, Regulatory Techniques, Derecho privado, Unificación, Marco institucional, Mecanismos de regulación
Résumé: Este artículo analiza las carencias de la legislación comunitaria como fuente para la unificación del Derecho privado, destacando las deficiencias de los proyectos de una codificación de amplio alcance del Derecho privado en el seno de la UE. Una pretensión de ese tipo parece apropiada en el estado actual de la integración comunitaria si su alcance se limita a normas de Derecho
contractual imperativo así como de Derecho internacional privado. Una mayor unificación del Derecho privado en Europa exige además importantes adaptaciones del marco institucional para la creación de tales normas comunes.
ABSTRACT
This article discusses the limits of Community legislation as a source of uniform law and stresses the difficulties raised by the projects to codify private law in the European Union. Such an approach may be appropriate in the present state of Community integration if limited to rules of mandatory contract law and provisions of Private International Law. Further unification of private law in Europe requires also significant changes in the institutional framework to create uniform rules and the development of new regulatory techniques.
Mots-clés: Derecho privado, unificación, marco institucional, mecanismos de regulación ----- Private Law, Unification, Institutional Framework, Regulatory Techniques
