Articles for category: Europa

Why are you on Facebook?

In a recent draft decision of the Irish Data Protection Commissioner to other European Data Protection Authorities, the Irish Commissioner addressed whether or not Facebook could rely on the contractual legal basis for certain purposes of its personal data processing, including for behavioral advertising. According to the Commissioner, “a reasonable user would be well-informed […] that [personalized advertising] is the very nature of the service being offered by Facebook and contained within the contract”. Based on this interpretation, it appears that Facebook’s users are on the social network not to connect with their friends and family but rather to receive personalized advertising.

1. November 2021

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From Charity to Justice in the Pandemic

Waiving intellectual property rights is not a panacea in the current pandemic, but it may remove obstacles and, importantly, would send the right message. Germany should therefore change its position and support a decision in the World Trade Organization (WTO) to that effect. Donations are good and necessary in the short-term, but they must not be mistaken for acts justice in international relations.

31. Oktober 2021

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Die andere Rechtsstaatlichkeitskrise

An der polnisch-belarussischen Grenze spielt sich ein Drama der Rechtsmissachtung ab,  inzwischen mit mehreren Toten. Es ist dies die andere, leisere Rechtsstaatlichkeitskrise: die des entgegen klarer Vorgaben des Unionsrechts verweigerten Zugangs zu einem Asylverfahren; die der wiederholten Missachtung von einstweiligen Anordnungen des Europäischen Gerichtshofs für Menschenrechte (EGMR).

28. Oktober 2021

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This Was Not Just Another Ultra Vires Judgment!

A few days ago, 27 retired judges of the Polish Constitutional Tribunal have issued a statement concerning the judgment K 3/21 of 7 October 2021. We are both among its signatories. With this article, we hope to contribute to the clarification of the false statements contained in that judgment, its oral explanations and statements of representatives of political authorities, regarding the difficult matters of coexistence of Polish law and European Union law.

27. Oktober 2021

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Rationalizing Supremacy

For many years, supremacy has been rationalized by the European Court of Justice and in the literature mainly with arguments relying on the effectiveness of EU law and on its necessity for resolving conflicts between Union law and the laws of the Member States. In light of the most recent supremacy-related decisions by constitutional courts in Poland and Germany, these rationalizations seem to have lost their persuasive power. Instead of relying on effectiveness or the equality of Member States, supremacy should be seen as being mainly grounded in the individual-centred non-discrimination standard anchored in Article 18 TFEU.

18. Oktober 2021

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Investitionsschutz über Klimaschutz?

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Der sogenannte Energiecharta-Vertrag (ECT) steht wegen seiner investorenfreundlichen Bestimmungen und der Bedrohung, die er für die Energiewende darstellt, bereits seit längerer Zeit in der Kritik. Immer mehr EU-Mitgliedstaaten, darunter etwa Frankreich und Spanien, erwägen einen Rücktritt vom ECT. Ein solcher Rücktritt ist völkerrechtlich möglich und klimapolitisch wünschenswert.

14. Oktober 2021

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Historische Zäsur für den Rechtsstaat

Die zweitägige mündliche Verhandlung zu den Klagen von Ungarn und Polen gegen den sog. „Rechtsstaatsmechanismus“ war eine Zäsur für den europäischen Rechtsstaat und die Geschichte Europas: Die gesamte Verhandlung stand im Schatten des jüngsten „Urteils“ des „polnischen Verfassungsgerichts“, das sich weigert, Entscheidungen des Europäischen Gerichtshofs umzusetzen. Noch nie hat Polen die Geltung der Grundsätze der Rechtsstaatlichkeit mit solcher Vehemenz und solchem Eigensinn bestritten, wie es im Verlauf dieser Verhandlung sichtbar wurde. Man konnte der Europäischen Union bei ihrem Zerriss zuschauen.

14. Oktober 2021

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A Closing of Ranks

On 11 and 12 October the Court of Justice of the European Union sat in Full Court composition (a rarity) to hear Hungary’s and Poland’s challenge of the legality of the rule of law conditionality regulation. Its ruling will follow (hopefully shortly) the Advocate-General’s Opinion announced for 2 December 2021. It will most likely reconfirm that the Union legal order is based on clear and binding rule of law norms, and that these must, of legal necessity, apply across all EU policy fields, including the EU budget. It will be a judgment of great significance about the very nature and purpose of the EU.

14. Oktober 2021

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