This study seeks to flesh out a theory of national application of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). It does so by seeking to provide an answer to the research question, ‘what is the proper role of the domestic courts in the application of the European Convention?’ By relying upon the examples of French, German, and UK law, the study argues that it is not true in descriptive terms, nor desirable in normative terms, that the domestic courts take an approach to the ECHR based upon friction and assertion of sovereignty. This study argues instead that domestic application of the ECHR is built on the attainment of certain aims. These aims are inferred, in the main, from the domestic courts’ jurisprudence, such as it relates to four central ECHR doctrines, and they are: the doctrines of evolutionary interpretation; proportionality; the margin of appreciation; and autonomous concepts. On the basis of an analysis of this jurisprudence, the four aims are identified as being, first, honouring the principle of pacta sunt servanda; secondly, the safeguarding of human rights based upon the insight that human rights are a paramount good to be pursued; thirdly, the aim of positive, as opposed to negative, rights diversity; and, fourthly, the aim that conclusions reached on the domestic level of one state must be capable of being universalized. The approach of the domestic courts to the application of the ECHR can be explained on the basis of the domestic courts’ wish to attain these four aims. The proper role played by the domestic courts, the study argues, is one in which they are willing to give a lead to Strasbourg as well as to be led, in both, to use the wording of the Preamble of the ECHR, ‘the maintenance’ and in the ‘further realisation’ of the Convention rights.

This comparative legal thesis discusses abstract judicial preview in Sweden and the Netherlands. Both countries have Councils of State in place that are tasked with advising government on legislation and governance to maintain a congruent judicial system. The aim of the analysis is to examine, describe and compare the judicial preview of law proposals carried out in Sweden and the Netherlands. By applying a legal-dogmatic method and a comparative law method the results show that abstract judicial preview of law proposals in Sweden and the Netherlands share both similarities and differences. The primary similarity infers that the judgements of the Councils of State have no binding effect for the legislator. Regarding the differences, the Swedish Council of State mainly focuses on advising the government on legislation, whilst the Dutch Council of State consists of two divisions that operate under the same name. The Administrative Jurisdiction Division is the country’s highest general administrative court and the Advisory Division, as implied by its name, advises the government and Parliament in matters regarding legislation and governance. Finally, one of the surprising conclusions show that an official from the relevant Swedish department of state recites a bill before the Council of State. This differs from the Netherlands, where the Council of State operates behind closed doors when a bill is put forward. Meaning that it does not occur that an official or any other outsider is involved in assessing bills and other requests for advice. In conclusion, abstract judicial preview in Sweden and the Netherlands plays a fundamental role in contributing to a harmonious legal order and norm hierarchy.

La première partie de la thèse est consacrée à une comparaison synchronique portant sur l’histoireet les fondements du droit à l’éducation, ainsi que sur les composantes du droit à l’éducation (disponibilité,accès, permanence, acceptabilité, adaptabilité et qualité de celle-ci) et la manière dont ils ont été traduits dansla législation interne actuelle. Les catégories d’analyse alors retenues nous ont plus précisément permis deréaliser en la matière une micro-comparaison, c’est-à-dire une comparaison portant sur les acteurs du systèmescolaire, leurs fonctions, leurs compétences, leurs obligations et garanties.La deuxième partie de la thèse est consacrée à une analyse de la nature et de la portée du droit à l´éducationdans les deux pays, ainsi qu’à sa consécration par la voie constitutionnelle, légale, jurisprudentielle, et grâceaux normes supranationales.La troisième partie de la thèse est consacrée à une comparaison de la transformation, au regard des évolutionsqui se produisent sur la scène globale, des institutions et des politiques publiques relatives dans chaque pays àl’éducation. Ceci a permis de comprendre le rôle des organismes internationaux dans la création de nouveauxréférentiels universels, et la manière dont ces derniers ont été incorporés dans les législations internes. Endernier lieu, il a été procédé à une analyse de l’évaluation des systèmes scolaires faite à partir des indicateursnéolibéraux, qui a permis de comparer l’organisation et la gestion des systèmes scolaires des deux pays.Les conclusions résultant de l'observation des deux systèmes juridiques ont abouti à mettre en exergue lesprincipes et fondements communs qui existent dans le monde occidental et qui ont facilité l’harmonisationsouple du droit public international relatif à l’éducation. / The first part of this thesis is devoted to a synchronic comparison of the history and foundationsof the right to education, as well as the components of the right to education (availability, access, permanence,acceptability, adaptability and quality thereof) and how they have been translated into current nationallegislation. The categories of analysis used therefore have specifically made it possible to carry out a microcomparisonin this area, that is to say, a comparison of the stakeholders in the school system, their functions,powers, duties and guarantees.The second part of this thesis is devoted to an analysis of the nature and scope of the right to education in bothcountries, and how it has been enshrined by judicial, legal and constitutional means, and thanks tosupranational standards.The third part of this thesis is devoted to a comparison of the transformation, in the light of changes occurringin the global arena, of institutions and public policies in each country with respect to education. This hasmade it possible to understand the role of international organizations in creating new universal standards, andhow these standards have been incorporated into domestic legislation. Finally, an analysis of the evaluation ofschool systems based on neoliberal indicators has been undertaken, which has made it possible to compare theorganization and management of education systems of both countries.The findings resulting from the observation of both legal systems have led to highlight the common principlesand foundations that exist in the Western world and that have facilitated the flexible harmonization ofinternational public law on education.

L'existence de mécanismes efficaces de contrôle de l'activité administrative est une problématique commune aux pays européens. Le contrôle des juges y apparaît fondamental. Il est un gage de la soumission de l'administration au droit, via le respect du principe de légalité. Le rôle qu'ils jouent ne selimite toutefois pas à cette simple fonction. C'est ce que tend à démontrer une étude comparée globale du recours pour excès de pouvoir français et la judicial review anglaise. Alors que chacun de ces deux mécanismes apparaît comme une forme limitée de contrôle de la légalité, ils ont en réalité une portée plus étendue. Sous l'effet du développement des contraintes pesant sur l'action administrative, conséquence de l'enrichissement normatif des ordres juridiques, le rôle des juges s'accroît. La place qu'ils occupent au sein des institutions nationales doit être clairement définie, afin d'en assurer la légitimité.N'étant plus uniquement les garants de la volonté d'un Parlement de plus en plus contraint, les juges voient les fondements de leur rôle être renouvelés. La liberté dont ils disposent va croissante. Ce mouvement révèle leur double figure : tantôt acteurs du contrôle de légalité, et principal outil de soumission de l'administration à un droit en constant développement, ils sont également un moteur de ce mouvement. Cela leur permet d'en fixer les limites afin de ne pas scléroser l'activité administrative, elle aussi porteuse d'une légitimité propre. L'étude comparée du recours pour excès de pouvoir et de la judicial review permet la mise en lumière de cette dualité : les juges en définissent les différentes facettes et participent ainsi activement à la définition de leur propre rôle. / The existence of efficient mechanisms of control for administrative activity is a common problem in European countries. Judicial control is of primary importance. It is a guarentee of the respect of law by public authorities, through the principle of legality. But, the role of judges is not only defined by this function. This can be demonstrated by a global comparison of the French recours pour excès de pouvoir and the English judicial review. While both mechanisms seem to allow a limited control of legality, the picture is not as simple. Because of the development of the strains on administrative action, due to the normative enrichment of legal orders, the role of the judiciary is extending. The position of judges within national institutions has to be clearly defined, in order to guarantee their legitimacy.As they can no longer be described as protectors of the will of Parliament, the foundations of their role is reassessed. Their discretionary power is increasing. It reveals their dualiaty: they are active in the control of legality, and as such they are the main instrument of the submission of public authorities to a developing legality, and they are also actors of this movment. As such, they draw limits in order not to ossify administrative activity, which is also legitimate. The comparision between the recours pour excès de pouvoir and judicial review can reveal this duality : the judges define its various aspects and actively participate to the definition of their own role.

L'objet de la thèse, préparée dans le cadre de la convention de co-tutelle entre l’Université de Trento en Italie et l’Université Paris Ouest Nanterre la Défense en France, consiste dans une analyse comparée du rôle de la déontologie médicale dans les sources du droit en Italie, France et Allemagne. Le spectre d’analyse adopté est double. On cherche d’abord à rendre compte des aspects architecturaux des rapports entre droit et déontologie médicale ; ce faisant, on concentre l’analyse sur les modalités de la codification de l’éthique professionnelle en France, en Allemagne et en Italie, sur le pouvoir normatif des ordres professionnels, et sur la valeur juridique des codes de déontologie médicale et leur intégration dans le système des sources du droit. En second lieu, on cherche, dans une perspective plus substantielle, à comprendre les relations entre droit et déontologie, et notamment le rôle de la déontologie médicale dans le domaine du biodroit. Ce spectre d’analyse est en outre élargi à la procédure disciplinaire et à la perspective européenne. La première partie de la thèse est dédiée à certaines remarques préliminaires et notamment à un effort de définition de la déontologie médicale, à certaines « questions ouvertes » de son rapport avec le droit et à la relation, en perspective comparée, entre langue et droit dans la signification du mot « déontologie ». La seconde partie est dédiée à la codification de l’éthique professionnelle, alors que le rôle de la déontologie médicale dans le biodroit est l’objet de la troisième partie. La quatrième partie concerne la procédure disciplinaire et, finalement, la cinquième partie est dédiée à la reconstruction et l’analyse critique des résultats de la comparaison, à la perspective européenne et à la proposition d’un nouveau modèle italien des rapports entre le droit et la déontologie médicale. / The thesis aims at analysing, from a comparative perspective, the role of medical ethics in Italy, France and Germany. The survey focuses on both the formal and substantive aspects of the relationships between law and medical ethics. As to the first issue, the thesis analyses the codification of medical ethics, the normative function of the medical councils, the binding value of the codes of medical ethics and their position in the hierarchy of norms. With regard to the second aspect, the role of medical ethics is studied from a more substantial perspective, analysing the concrete interrelations between law and medical ethics in the field of biolaw. The survey is then extended to the disciplinary procedure and to the European level. In the first part, the relationships between law and medical ethics are analysed from a linguistic perspective, aiming at underlining some specific features of the concepts referred to as “déontologie”, “deontologia” or “Standesrecht” and “Berufsordnung” in France, Italy and Germany. This part also deals with some “open questions” characterising the relationships between medical ethics and the law. The second part concerns the codification of medical ethics, while its role in the field of biolaw is analysed in the third part. The fourth part deals with deontological liability and disciplinary procedures. Lastly, the fifth part aims at elaborating a theoretical reconstruction of the results of the comparative analysis, at highlighting the main roles of medical ethics at the European level and at suggesting a different model for the relationships between law and medical ethics in the Italian system. / L’obiettivo della tesi è un’analisi comparata del ruolo della deontologia medica nel sistema delle fonti del diritto in Italia, Francia e Germania. Per tenere conto della complessità del rapporto tra diritto e deontologia, sono stati analizzati sia gli aspetti formali di tale rapporto, sia i profili sostanziali del ruolo della deontologia medica nel biodiritto. Nella prima parte alcune considerazioni preliminari e l’analisi linguistica hanno permesso di definire l’ambito di indagine e i profili di maggiore complessità del rapporto tra dimensione deontologica e dimensione giuridica sui quali nelle parti successive si è concentrata l’indagine. La seconda parte, dedicata alla codificazione dell’etica medica, ha messo in luce la varietà di soluzioni e di modalità di ingresso della norma deontologica nell’ordinamento giuridico. Nella terza parte sono stati analizzati il ruolo della deontologia medica nell’ambito del biodiritto e l’influenza di alcuni fattori particolarmente rilevanti sull’evoluzione dei contenuti concreti dei codici deontologici e sulla loro portata pratica. La quarta parte è dedicata alla violazione della deontologia e ai procedimenti disciplinari. Infine la parte conclusiva contiene una ricostruzione teorica dei risultati emersi dall’analisi comparata, lo studio di alcuni profili legati alla dimensione europea della deontologia e la proposta di alcune ipotesi di riforma per un modello italiano più coerente, flessibile ed efficace dei rapporti tra diritto e deontologia.