University of Macau / Faculty of Law

In this study, the origin and main parameters of the Essential Facilities Doctrine are analysed through the case-law that developed out of the application of the EC Competition Rules. Besides putting forward the historical roots, the basic criteria and limitations that apply to the Doctrine are elaborated so as to clarify the legal and analytical foundations of the Doctrine in the EU context. In addition, the added value attributed to the Doctrine in realm of competition policies pursued in network-based industries is expounded with special emphasis on telecommunications sectors. With this regard, the potential role of EFD against the challenging effects of &lsquo / convergence&rsquo / phenomenon and the technological changes is discussed. At last, the effects of EFD on the competitive dynamics of Turkish telecommunications sector which is undergoing a liberalisation process are also examined with the accompanied Turkish case-law.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Heidelberg, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--Université de Genève, 1994. / Material type: Dissertations. Includes bibliographical references (p. 305-323) and index.

These comments have the objective of opening discussion regarding intervention of the State in the economy, regulating prices in times of natural disasters due to the sudden increase of the demand by consumers and consequent economic exploitation by some providers. Taking the chilean case as example, the authors raise certain legislative amendments to avoid that certain providers take improper advantage of consumers in such dramatic times. / Los presentes comentarios pretenden abrir la discusión sobre si el Estado peruano debería intervenir, en tiempos de desastres naturales, en la regulación de los precios de los productos, en tanto estos suelen encarecerse ante el aumento repentino de la demanda por parte de los consumidores y el consiguiente aprovechamiento económico de algunos proveedores. Tomando como ejemplo el caso chileno, planteamos algunas modificatorias legislativas para evitar así que ciertos proveedores se aprovechen de la desesperación de los consumidores en circunstancias tan dramáticas.

Orientador: Alfredo José dos Santos / Coorientador: Luiz Antônio Soares Hentz / Banca: Alexandre Walmott Borges / Banca: Euclides Celso Berardo / Resumo: Este estudo busca identificar a sociedade anônima aberta como um modelo societário propício à formatação jurídica, organização e capitalização de empreendimentos do setor sucroalcooleiro. O estudo foca este setor específico da economia brasileira, em função de sua acentuada importância no cenário econômico mundial, do intenso crescimento, nas últimas décadas da demanda por açúcar, etanol e álcool anidro (em especial no que tange a esses combustíveis renováveis), bem como, em razão das mudanças administrativas e estruturais que vêm sendo aplicadas ultimamente nas empresas do setor. Nessa conjuntura, a pesquisa busca demonstrar como se organizam, atualmente, os diferentes agentes econômicos do setor e quais as principais estratégias aplicadas no sentido de se capitalizarem e, assim, promoverem medidas de reorganização administrativa e estrutural. Sob essas premissas, o estudo sugere a formatação jurídica das sociedades anônimas abertas, como um modelo viável para a organização de empreendimentos sucroalcooleiros que reúnam condições de experimentarem um potencial crescimento econômico, a partir da capitalização e da integração empresarial com outros empreendimentos relacionados ao setor. Para tanto, propõe-se a revelar os procedimentos necessários para a abertura de capital, especialmente quanto à reorganização societária, contratações de assessorias, realização de registros, comunicação e aprovação dos órgãos governamentais, bem como aqueles demandados quando da realização de oferta de ações, debêntures e demais valores mobiliários a serem negociados no mercado de capitais. Na mesma conjuntura focaliza as implicações decorrentes do processo de abertura de capital e as principais dificuldades enfrentadas pelos empreendedores que lançam mão dessa empreitada ou que... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This study intends to identify the publicly traded companies as a corporate model propitious to capitalize, to legally format and to organize the assets of the sugar and alcohol sector. This study focuses on this specific sector of the Brazilian economy due to its accented importance on the global economy to its intense increase in the last decades on the demand for sugar, ethanol and anhydrous ethanol (particularly regarding these renewable fuels) as well as to the administrative and to the structural modifications that have been lately applied in its companies. Considering this juncture, this research intends to show how the different economic agents of the sector are organize, nowadays, and which the main strategies are applied in order to capitalize and, therefore, promote measures of administrative and of structural reorganization. Under these assumptions, the study proposes the legal formatting of the publicly traded companies as a viable model to the organization of the sugar and alcohol sector that gather conditions to experience an economic growth based on the capitalization and on the integration with other assets related to the sector. For that purpose, it aims to reveal the necessary procedures for initial public offerings, especially regarding the approval of government agencies, conducting legal records, corporate reorganization, hiring of consultancy, as well as the procedures demanded when issuance of debentures, stock offers and other securities offering to be traded on the capital market. It focuses on the implications of the initial public offering process and the main difficulties faced by the entrepreneurs who intend to apply the legal restructuring towards the flotation of shares. Finally, based on these surveys, this study tries to refer all these contents to the reality of this sector in order to emphasize... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

A legislação aplicável às sociedades por ações utiliza conceitos e normas abertas que devem ser interpretadas com base nos princípios que regem as sociedades por ações, considerando, nessa análise, as características específicas da companhia na qual surgiu a controvérsia e as situações que integram e esclarecem a situação controversa levada a conhecimento do Judiciário. A liberdade dos empresários, na condução de suas atividades, tem fundamento no sistema econômico Brasileiro, conforme princípios da Constituição Federal. No entanto, os interesses sociais protegidos pela Constituição Federal exigem que as empresas, especialmente as sociedades por ações, que agregam características institucionais, estabeleçam limites para a condução das atividades das companhias. Da mesma forma, a criação de um ente autônomo e dotado de patrimônio próprio, cria uma separação entre o poder de controle e administração dos bens, direitos e obrigações que integram esse patrimônio e os acionistas que contribuíram inicialmente para sua constituição, motivo pelo qual a condução dos negócios empresariais deve sempre buscar atingir os interesses da companhia e os agentes necessários para realização dessas atividades têm deveres e responsabilidades com os demais acionistas e terceiros afetados pela existência da companhia. Nesse contexto, a atuação do Judiciário se restringe a verificar a ocorrência de atos ilegais de gestão. O Judiciário, no sistema jurídico brasileiro, não podendo interferir no mérito das deliberações, sob pena de infringir o princípio da livre iniciativa e do exercício do poder de controle, que estruturam o sistema legal que regula as sociedades por ações. A responsabilidade dos administradores e controladores que agem de boa-fé nos atos regulares de gestão deve ser preservada em face dos resultados da companhia e os interesses dos demais sócios. / The applicable legislation pertaining to corporations make use of broad rules and concepts which must be interpreted with basis on the prevailing principles ruling corporations and taking into consideration, in such analysis, the specific characteristics of the company in which the controversy has emerged and also taking into consideration the whole scenario of which the litigious point is an integral part and which may clarify the controversy brought before the Judiciary. The shareholders freedom, while performing their activities, is grounded upon the Brazilian economic system, in accordance with the principles set forth by the Federal Constitution. Notwithstanding, the corporate rights protected by the Constitution require that corporations, accumulating institutional characteristics, set forth limitations for conducting their business activities. In this sense, the creation of an autonomous body endowed with its own assets, generates a separation by and between the power of control and asset management, rights and obligations which are an integral part of such a property and the shareholders who initially contributed for its constitution; therefore business should be conducted so as to meet the interests of the corporation; and the agents deemed necessary for the fulfillment of such activities have duties and responsibilities before the existing companys remaining shareholders and affected third parties. In this context, the actions of the Judiciary is restricted to verify the occurrence of illegal acts of management. Under Brazilian legal system, the Judiciary may not interfere on the merit of the proceedings, under penalty of infringing the principle of free initiative and the exercise of power to control, which structure the legal system that governs the corporations. The responsibility of managers and controllers that act in good-faith in the acts regular management must be maintained in view of the results of the company and the interests of other members.

Qatar is among the fastest growing developing countries in all fields. Since the State of Qatar gained independence from the United Kingdom, the Qatari government has been focusing on the formation of state institutions to keep pace with global development. In 1971, Qatar released the first civil and commercial law. The country established the first step towards the separation of civil and commercial transactions of Islamic law. However, the ever-changing nature of business and global economy requires significant economic and societal changes. With the increase of foreign investors in Qatar, there had to be a law governing arbitration in contracts. Therefore, the government promulgated the arbitration clause in commercial contracts; the first code of civil and commercial procedure contains a chapter of the arbitration. However, the provisions of arbitration included in this law are not compatible with the UNCITRAL Model Law. Although there is a shortage in literature regarding arbitration in Qatar, several studies discussed issues related to arbitration in Qatar and called for the adoption of a new separate arbitration law in Qatar compatible with the UNCITRAL one. This prompted Qatar to work on a new draft law of arbitration, especially after the ratification of the New York Convention 1985 by Qatar. However, these studies did not cover other factors which affect arbitration; such as cultural attitude towards arbitration and issues affecting the practice of arbitration in Qatar. Unlike previous studies regarding arbitration in Qatar, this thesis uses multi-methods to get an answer of the main question of the research, which is: “Will the new Arbitration Draft Law solve all the issues related to arbitration in Qatar, thereby attracting international companies to Qatar and its law for their arbitration?” The thesis reviews the related literature in the first stage. Then it analyses interviews which were held with a number of arbitration stakeholders, the recent Qatari draft law of arbitration, the GCC unified arbitration draft law and the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) draft law. After that it conducts a comparison between the current provisions of arbitration, the Qatari arbitration draft law and the GCC unified arbitration draft law in light of the UNCITRAL Model Law and the Egyptian Arbitration Law. This multi-methods study results in recommendations which are listed in its conclusion. It is worth mentioning that both the Qatari arbitration draft law and the QFC draft law are considered for the first time in a research study. Also, the interviews which were held for the purpose of this research enrich the outcome as the participants were chosen from various categories of arbitration stakeholder, where some of them represent official entities; such as the Legislation Department of the Ministries Council and some of them are high ranking officials of these entities; such as the Minister of Justice.

The dynamics of our globalised world open the way for international trade and transactions between different countries; this may lead to conflicts in laws where transactions and trade may be subject to different legal systems. One of the biggest issues in international commercial law is disputes over the charging of interest, for example with regard to late payment, interest-based loans, or compensation for damages. Interest disputes are considered to be a complex area of law and even more complex in the international field. At the international level, interest claims may be connected to many areas of commerce and thus governed by various laws, which are different from one country to another; moreover, each country has its own interest rate and such rates are changeable according to the nature of law and economics under some jurisdictions. Furthermore, the concept of interest itself is affected by influences such as religious beliefs and economic, political and cultural trends. Interest can be treated as a substantive or a procedural matter. The settlement of these disputes therefore faces difficulties. Arbitration, as a method for settlement of disputes, is characterised by special features that assist in resolving these issues; but it faces some obstructions, especially in international commercial arbitration. The practices of arbitral tribunals and national courts in this regard are different. The results of different interpretations, approaches, and theories with regard to arbitration, at the pre-arbitration, during arbitration and post-arbitration stages, may also differ widely due to the diversity of financial and legal systems such as Common Law, Civil Law and the Islamic legal system – Sharia Law – across different countries. Each legal system has a different methodology and theories, even within an individual country under one legal system, and a state within a federal system has its own laws, which may have different interpretations in this respect. The New York Convention of 1958 on enforcing foreign arbitral awards was established in favour of arbitral awards and for the purpose of unifying international rules of arbitration. This Convention provides some procedural and substantive rules for the enforcement of foreign arbitral awards, but also provides some grounds for refusal. These rules have been affected by different interpretations under different jurisdictions and legal systems, which lead to different perspectives on the matter of charging interest and settlement by arbitration. The outcome of applying the NYC under these interpretations often has the opposite of its intended effect: the rejection of foreign arbitral awards. Due to such ambiguities, courts occasionally intervene in arbitration in all its stages. The interventions of national courts occur in three stages: enforcement of the arbitration agreement, enforcement of the contract under the applicable law to the agreement, and enforcement of the foreign arbitral award. The confusion between substantive and procedural laws also creates confusion with respect to public policy, non-arbitrability and enforceability. In addition, there may be a lack of clarity on the scope of arbitration with respect to the parties’ agreement, whether or not the parties have agreed to the interest rates and periods and whether or not they have agreed to the authority of the arbitrator. These issues affect the enforceability of an arbitration agreement, the law applicable to the disputed contract, the freedom of parties, the authority of the arbitrators and the enforceability of the awarded interest. The thesis studies how arbitral awards containing interest have been interpreted across the three aforementioned legal systems under the NYC 1958 in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, England, France, and the US and the enforceability of such awards.

The aim of this diploma thesis is to analyse the substantial and procedural legal regulation of the Commercial Register in the Czech Republic briefly though coherently and to clarify the most important principles, fundamentals and proceedings that are binding for the Commercial Register. Firstly I will introduce the Commercial Register in general and clear up the term "principle of publicity". Further I will focuse on the registered subjects and information and I will look closer on the Collection of Documents. The following chapters present the Commercial Register proceeding and the selected datas that may cause problems during the Commercial Register entry. At the end of my thesis I will try to introduce some proposals that could be helpful for the correction of some failures of the contemporary Commercial Code.