La situation environnementale actuelle et les prévisions y afférentes des experts,obligent à questionner l’appréhension du dommage à l’environnement par la responsabilitécivile et plus largement, des atteintes et risques d’atteintes à celui-ci.Cette réflexion porte ainsi sur les outils et mécanismes de ladite responsabilité, afin devérifier leur adaptation à ce dommage. Il s’agit d’identifier les carences du régime, et deformuler des propositions théoriques, techniques, ou pratiques, car d’importants efforts restentà fournir, tous domaines confondus, pour un droit effectif et efficace.Se trouvant à la croisée des problèmes et enjeux abordés, le secteur agroalimentairefait office de secteur-témoin, comme il en va de la responsabilité relative singulièrement à lasanté humaine, sans préjudice d’impacts autres des pollutions.Ces dommages étant majoritairement très difficiles à constater avec rigueur et àévaluer, en plus d’être onéreux à réparer –lorsqu’ils ne sont pas irréversibles–, leraisonnement suivi consiste à démontrer l’urgence de mieux adapter la responsabilité civile àceux-ci, par l’analyse de ses différents éléments, en tenant compte de la dualité qui lacaractérise. De même, il s’agit de tirer les conséquences des résultats du raisonnement, etpartant, de repenser le droit inadapté à la responsabilité civile environnementale. Il convientalors, entre autres, de tenir compte de la place plus importante à accorder à l’environnementdans nos choix sociaux ; l’approche anthropocentriste retenue tend à remettre en cause lescepticisme à l’encontre des préoccupations environnementales, et à souligner le caractèrefondamentalement transfrontalier dudit dommage. / The present environmental situation, and expert forecasting related to it, compel toquestion how tort law might be a useful vehicle of both redressing harms, offenses and risksof such to the environment, or better, anticipating them into avoiding them or limiting theirconsequences. The following thesis considers the shortcomings and adequacy of tort law’stools and mechanisms for addressing these environmental concerns. Indeed, it is particularlydifficult to even ascertain most environmental offenses and estimate their cost, particularlywith regard to irreversible harms. Thus, the reasoning demonstrates the emergency of a betteradaptation of both corresponding liability and responsibility, through their different elements,including the duality that characterizes them. Here, we then offer theoretical, technical orpractical considerations, which may be of use in navigating this route.In considering these issues, the food proceeding industry serves as a particularly usefulmodel sector for the demonstration, as it has grappled with many of the same problems andstakes, including liability for human health, without prejudice to other pollutions’ impacts.Furthermore, we aim at rethinking the ill-adapted law to consider liability andresponsibility; this requires that we learn lessons from the results of the reasoning, andmanage with the particularities of interests and actors that intervene, or the larger room thatmust be devoted to the environment in social choices. Specifically, the goal of theanthropocentric approach is to enable to overcome skepticism towards environmentalconcerns, and to underline the fact that these offenses are fundamentally borderless.

When and why can parties escape from a contract on the ground that the price is unfair? This question is considered in a comparative and historical perspective in English and French law. The general rule in both systems is that the parties are free to determine the price and they are then bound by their contract. One well known exception in French law, which derives from Roman law, is Article 1674 of the Code civil which allows a vendor to rescind a contract for the sale of land if the price agreed in the contract is less than five-twelfths of the fair price. It is generally thought that there are no analogous rules in English law. However, the law on this subject is in fact considerably more complex and more colourful than this simple contrast would suggest. Numerous rules on unfair prices in contracts were created in French law by the legislature and the courts since the promulgation of the Code civil in 1804. In English law, courts intervened in contracts on the ground of an unfair price in a few instances in the nineteenth century. However, only the rule on unfair prices in salvage contracts has survived until today. In both systems, the policies of preserving family wealth, protecting weak parties and giving special treatment to certain parties for economic, political, social or cultural reasons underpin these rules. There are two principal conclusions. First, freedom of contract is much less extensive in French law than in English law. This is evident in the numerous rules on unfair prices in contracts in French law and in the primacy of the remedy of altering the price rather than rescission. Secondly, while in theory, French courts play a much less significant role than English courts in the development of law, the creation and abolition of certain rules on unfair prices in contracts by French courts shows that judicial creativity in French law can be much less constrained in practice than in English law.

The thesis answers the following research question: what is the extent of the influence of international law on the construction and application of corporate codes of conduct, what factors determine this influence and through which processes does it occur? The thesis uses a mix of methods: a content analysis study, used to measure the extent to which codes of conduct incorporate international labour standards and the degree to which they have changed over time in this respect; legal research on whether corporations can be liable for violating their codes and how this risk factors in the drafting of codes; and case studies of fifteen retailer corporations, which examine how their codes were created and how they are being applied. The study's findings show there is an influence of international law on the construction and, to a far smaller degree, on the application of codes. The creation and application of codes is a politicised and contested process and codes are based on international law principally due to the pressure exerted by trade unions and NGOs, but also due to reputational risk, commercial pressure and mimicry by corporations. This influence has been selective, with corporations applying provisions in their codes that protect the rights carrying the biggest reputational risks. These findings show the flaws in the current international framework for corporate accountability, which is based on self-regulation through codes and audits. They also raise issue of whether changes, such as a binding international treaty or the creation of more collaborative and inclusive programmes to oversee the application of codes, may be required in order to ensure wider respect for labour rights of workers.

It is generally accepted that the award of contract damages in English law is governed by the expectation principle. This principle provides that following an actual or anticipated breach of contract the innocent party is entitled to be put into the position that he or she would have occupied had the contract been performed. There is significant ambiguity over what ‘position’ means in this context. The conventional understanding of the expectation principle is that it stipulates the appropriate measure of loss for an award of compensation. This thesis challenges this understanding and proposes a new performance-oriented account of awards given in accordance with the expectation principle. The thesis is in two parts. Part I outlines and challenges the orthodox understanding of awards given in accordance with the expectation principle. Chapter One outlines the orthodox account, and explains the traditional interpretation of loss in this context. Chapter Two mounts a doctrinal challenge to the orthodox account, demonstrating the existence of many awards for breach of contract that do not reflect the actual loss suffered by the innocent party. Chapter Three highlights the conceptual difficulty of the orthodox account and outlines the problems with conventional terminology, proposing stable definitions for important legal concepts. Part II advances an alternative account of contract damages that draws a distinction between two different kinds of money awards. The first is an award substituting for performance. The second is an award compensating for loss. Chapter Four outlines the account’s foundations by defending the existence of the right to performance and the existence of the proposed distinction. Chapter Five explains the quantification and restriction of money awards substituting for performance. Chapter Six explains the nature of money awards compensating for loss. Finally, Chapter Seven defends English law’s preference for awarding monetary substitutes for performance rather than ordering specific performance.

A presente dissertação de mestrado visa a estudar a responsabilidade civil por danos decorrentes da prática de cartel, a qual é considerada como a mais grave infração à ordem econômica. No primeiro capítulo, o fenômeno do cartel é estudado sob a perspectiva econômica, analisando-se as principais características e efeitos da conduta. No segundo capítulo, examina-se a disciplina jurídica do cartel no direito brasileiro, estudando-se as normas que preveem a responsabilização pela prática de cartel na lei concorrencial e na esfera penal. O terceiro capítulo pretende analisar os objetivos e o papel da responsabilidade civil no contexto mais amplo da política de defesa da concorrência. O quarto capítulo estuda a reparação civil dos danos decorrentes do cartel no direito federal norte-americano e no direito comunitário europeu. O quinto capítulo examina a responsabilidade civil por danos decorrentes da prática de cartel no direito brasileiro. Nesse contexto, são examinados os pressupostos da reparação civil (ato ilícito, culpa, nexo causal e dano), a legitimidade ativa e passiva para as ações indenizatórias, a interação entre a responsabilidade civil e o programa de leniência, bem como a prescrição da pretensão indenizatória. No sexto capítulo, são analisadas algumas propostas de reforma do ordenamento jurídico brasileiro para aperfeiçoamento do sistema de reparação civil em matéria de cartel. Finalmente, a conclusão procura expor de maneira sistematizada as principais ideias apresentadas ao longo do trabalho, bem como avaliar o estágio atual da responsabilidade civil por danos decorrentes da prática de cartel no direito brasileiro. / This dissertation aims to study the civil liability for damages arising from cartel behavior, which is considered the most serious antitrust violation. The first chapter studies the cartel from an economic perspective, analyzing the key features and effects of the conduct. The second chapter examines the legal framework regarding cartel behavior under Brazilian law, by studying the rules that provide for the responsibility for cartel under antitrust law and at the criminal level. The third chapter aims to analyze the objectives and the role of civil liability in the broader context of antitrust policy. The fourth chapter studies the civil liability for damages arising from cartel behavior in US federal law and European Community law. The fifth chapter examines the civil liability for damages resulting from cartel behavior in Brazilian law. In this context, the chapter examines the requisites for civil liability (tort, fault, causation and damage), standing to sue and to be sued, the interaction between the indemnification claims and the leniency program, as well as the statute of limitations. The sixth chapter discusses some proposals to reform the Brazilian legal framework with the purpose of improving the system of civil liability concerning cartel behavior. Finally, the conclusion seeks to expose in a systematic way the main ideas presented throughout the work, and to assess the current state of civil liability for damages resulting from cartel behavior in Brazilian law.

L’expression « Principe de confiance légitime » désigne généralement, dans la littérature juridique française, un principe de droit public qui s’est imposé dans différents pays et dans la jurisprudence de la Cour de Justice de l’Union européenne. Au-delà de ce domaine classique, certains auteurs soutiennent qu’un tel principe existe en droit privé français. Il s’agirait, selon une partie d’entre eux, d’un principe explicatif et d’orientation. Pour un autre auteur, il en existerait plusieurs. Ces incertitudes justifient une interrogation sur le bien-fondé de l’existence d’un, voire plusieurs, principe(s) de confiance légitime en droit privé. Dans l’hypothèse où la réponse serait positive, la fonction doit être précisée afin de déterminer si ce ou ces principes n’ont que des fonctions d’orientation – ou d’interprétation – et d’explication. La présente thèse répond par l’affirmative à la première de ces questions et par la négative à la seconde. Ainsi, la première partie de la thèse met en lumière le principe. Elle soutient que le régime des produits défectueux et le droit commun de la responsabilité civile sanctionnent, dans des hypothèses variées, la violation de la confiance légitime. Ce constat présuppose qu’il existe une norme juridique qui impose de respecter cette confiance, norme qui ne peut qu’être un principe général du droit, dans la mesure où sa généralité est telle qu’elle est de nature à inspirer d’autres normes. La seconde partie traite des effets du principe. Plusieurs sont identifiés et deux font l’objet de développements plus substantiels : le droit à l’exécution forcée et la fonction satisfactoire de la responsabilité civile. / The expression "Principle of legitimate expectation" is generally used, within the French legal literature, as a principle under public law which has already been established in several countries as well as exercised in the Court of Justice of the European Union jurisprudence. Beyond this classic area, some authors argue that such a principle does exist in private law. It would be, for a fraction of them, an explanatory and orientative principle. For another author, there would be several principles. These uncertainties justify interrogation on the basis of the existence of one, or even several principles of "legitimate expectation". Assuming that the answer would be positive, the function of the above-mentioned principle must be ascertained so as to determine if that or these principle(s) have for unique function orientation – or interpretation – and explanation. The present thesis tries to answer in the affirmative for the first question and to give a negative answer to the second one. The first part of this thesis highlights the principle. It argues that the legal frame of defective products regulations as well as the civil liability does punish, through several ways, the breach of the legitimate expectation. This observation assumes that there is a legal norm which requires to respect this legitimate expectation. This norm can only be considered as a general principle of law to the extent that, by virtue of its generality, it shall inspire other norms. The second part of the present thesis deals with the consequences of the principle of legitimate expectation. Several have been identified and two of them are subject to more detailed and substantial development : the forced execution related regulations and the satisfactory function of civil liability.

O estudo em comento tem por objetivo analisar se o instituto jurídico dos punitive damages, oriundo da Common Law, tem aplicabilidade no ordenamento jurídico nacional, particularmente no âmbito das relações de consumo. Para tanto, a presente obra, além de apresentar um panorama histórico da responsabilidade civil punitiva, expõe como tal responsabilidade vem sendo aceita no Brasil e conclui como sendo dois os seus principais instrumentos de atuação: a indenização punitiva e os punitive damages. Diferenciando-os, entendemos que os punitive damages eram os mais adequados a atual sociedade de consumo brasileira, por constituir-se um valor fixado em separado, com o intuito específico de punir e avaliado conforme a complexidade do caso pelo magistrado, conferindo dinamismo e eficiência às punições. Nesse sentido, propusemos os critérios que em nosso sentir seriam os mais adequados para a aplicação dos punitive damages e a fixação do quantum punitivo no âmbito das relações de consumo, bem como os fatores que justificam a aplicação do referido instituto jurídico nestas relações. Apresentamos, ademais, uma análise da aplicabilidade dos punitive damages nos ordenamentos jurídicos de Common e Civil Law que mais influenciam o ordenamento jurídico nacional. / This study aims to examine whether the legal institution of punitive damages, coming from the Common Law, is applicable in national law, particularly in the context of consumer relations. This essay, besides presenting historical overview of punitive liability, explains how this responsibility is being accepted in Brazil and concludes that there are two main instruments of action. The first instrument is based on the increase of the compensatory damages to punish the defendant. The other one is the punitive damages. We believe that punitive damages were more suitable to the current consumer society in Brazil, because it represents a value that is set apart, with the purpose of punishing and evaluated according to the complexity of the case by the magistrate, giving dynamism and efficiency to the punishment. In this sense, we proposed rules that in our opinion would be most suitable for the application of punitive damages and setting of the punitive quantum under products liability, as well as factors warranting the application of this legal institution in these relationships. We present, moreover, analysis of the applicability of punitive damages in the legal systems of Common and Civil Law that most influence Brazilian Law.

Le préjudice économique pur est celui qui ne résulte ni d’une atteinte à la personne, ni d’une atteinte aux biens et qui génère des conséquences économiques négatives comme c’est le cas du dommage causé à l’économie, ou encore celui du préjudice résultant d’un acte de concurrence déloyale. Cette notion est peu connue du droit français. La pratique montre cependant que certains préjudices économiques relevant de cette définition existent et sont indemnisés.De cette constatation pratique résultent différentes difficultés. Il existe un amalgame entre ce préjudice économique pur et les préjudices économiques qui, au contraire, sont le résultat d’une atteinte à la personne ou aux biens. Cet amalgame nuit à la réparation effective du préjudice économique pur. Plus encore, l’absence de régime juridique adapté emporte une dénaturation des mécanismes de responsabilité civile tant les critères traditionnels de celles-ci sont mis à mal dès qu’il s’agit de réparer un préjudice économique pur. Divers exemples illustrent ces difficultés. Le dommage causé à l’économie, par exemple, ou encore le préjudice subi en matière de concurrence déloyale, pour lesquels le caractère certain est rarement établi. Il conviendrait, dès lors, d’adapter, d’aménager des règles existantes afin de parvenir à une réparation efficace du préjudice économique pur. Participant de ces aménagements, la question, déjà ancienne, des dommages et intérêts punitifs, ou encore le renouvellement de la question de la réparation « économique » en nature par la restitution du « surprofit » comme proposé par certains.Un cadre juridique adapté pourrait ainsi régir les critères d’existence du préjudice économique pur, d’une part, et ses critères d’évaluation, d’autre part. / Pure economic loss is the one that results neither from a personal injury nor from damage to property and generates negative economic consequences, such as the damage caused to the economy, or as the prejudice resulting from an act of unfair competition. This notion is little known to the French law. However, practise shows that some economic prejudices under this definition exist and are compensated for. From this practical ascertainment result several difficulties. There is confusion between pure economic loss and economic damages that, on the contrary, are the result of an injury to person or property. This confusion harms the effective compensation of the pure economic loss. Moreover, the absence of an appropriate legal regime entails a distortion of liability mechanisms, as its traditional criteria are undermined when it comes to repairing a pure economic loss. Various examples illustrate these difficulties: the damage to the economy, for instance, or the injury in terms of unfair competition, for which the certainty is rarely established. Therefore, it would be appropriate to adapt and develop the existing rules in order to achieve effective compensation for pure economic loss. Amongst these developments: the rather already old question of these punitive damages, or the renewal of the issue of « economic » compensation in nature through the restitution of « over profit », as suggested by some. A suitable legal framework could thus govern the existence of pure economic loss criteria on the one hand, and its assessment criteria on the other.

A dissertação analisa os danos decorrentes dos efeitos gerados pelos cartéis sob a ótica da responsabilidade civil, visando identificar os prejuízos gerados aos consumidores e demais compradores dos produtos que sofrem a ação do cartel. Primeiro, são analisadas as estruturas de mercado que propiciam a formação dos cartéis e a sua definição sob os aspectos econômico e jurídico. Após os efeitos gerados pelos cartéis são verificados e agrupados de acordo com as lesões provocadas pelas decisões dos cartelistas para viabilizar a apreciação dos danos gerados. Tais danos correspondem à parte dos requisitos necessários para a configuração da responsabilidade civil, que recai sobre os membros do cartel e os obriga a indenizar todos os prejudicados por suas práticas, sejam eles pessoas físicas ou jurídicas ou mesmo a sociedade como um todo. Nesse sentido, os prejuízos gerados pelos cartéis podem ser individuais ou coletivos, o que varia de acordo com o bem jurídico atingido, interferindo sobre os meios disponíveis para a obtenção da indenização. Essa abordagem facilita a identificação dos danos decorrentes dos efeitos produzidos pelos cartéis para que se busque a plena indenização dos prejudicados. / The dissertation analyses the damages arising from the effects of cartel practices under the tort point of view, in order to identify loses generated to consumers and other purchasers of products which were harmed by the cartel practices. First, the present work examines the market structures which allow cartel development and its economic and legal definitions. Afterward, the effects generated by cartels are verified and grouped according to the injuries caused by the decisions taken by the cartel members; this enables the appreciation of the damages produced. Such damages refer to part of the necessary requisites for the configuration of tort, which falls upon cartel members and compels them to indemnify all those injured by their practices, either individuals or legal entities, or even the society as a whole. In this sense, the damages arising from cartel practices could be individual or collective, varying according to the involved asset, influencing the available means to obtain the indemnification. This approach helps to identify the damages resulting from the effects of cartel practices in order to pursue the full compensation of the offended.

This thesis considers two allegations which conservatives often level at no-fault systems — namely, that responsibility is abnegated under no-fault systems, and that no-fault systems under- and over-compensate. I argue that although each of these allegations can be satisfactorily met – the responsibility allegation rests on the mistaken assumption that to properly take responsibility for our actions we must accept liability for those losses for which we are causally responsible; and the compensation allegation rests on the mistaken assumption that tort law’s compensatory decisions provide a legitimate norm against which no-fault’s decisions can be compared and criticized – doing so leads in a direction which is at odds with accident law reform advocates’ typical recommendations. On my account, accident law should not just be reformed in line with no-fault’s principles, but rather it should be completely abandoned since the principles that protect nofault systems from the conservatives’ two allegations are incompatible with retaining the category of accident law, they entail that no-fault systems are a form of social welfare and not accident law systems, and that under these systems serious deprivation – and to a lesser extent causal responsibility – should be conditions of eligibility to claim benefits. / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Humanities, 2007.