Bibliographie sélective OHADA

Article 6.8 of the Antidumping Agreement (AD) allows domestic investigating authorities to make determinations on the basis of the best information available (BIA) when any interested party does not cooperate during an antidumping investigation under the discipline of Annex II of the AD. Since its introduction, this provision has been the source of extensive and neverending litigation in front of both domestic investigating authorities and the Dispute Settlement Body. In this thesis, we research to what extent the findings of the Panels and the Appellate Body regarding Article 6.8 AD are consistent with the mandate set out in Articles 3.2, 11 DSU and 17.6 AD and to what extent they are reasonable from an economic perspective. To answer the first question, we first discuss Articles 3.2, 11 DSU and 17.6 AD to establish what is the mandate of the Panels and the Appellate Body under the Dispute Settlement Body. We then examine the findings of the Panels and the Appellate Body in the interpretation of the seven terms of Article 6.8 AD under the previously established mandate. To answer the second question, we summarize the latest developments in the economic theory of adjudication and litigation. We then discuss the findings of the Panels and the Appellate Body using this economic standard. In the conclusion, we compare the results of our analysis with current negotiations on Article 6.8 AD in the Doha Round framework and further discuss the opportunity to create a single united international investigating authority.

Please refer to full text to view abstract. <br>LL.M. (Commercial Law)

Desire for quick and affordable justice is universal. Right to speedy trial is a right to life and personal liberty of every citizen guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, which ensures just, fair and reasonable procedure. Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms have become more crucial for businesses operating in India as well as those doing businesses with Indian firms. There are various reasons for which ADR is preferred over the conventional way of resolving the disputes. India being a developing country, going through major economic reforms within the framework of the rule of law, for expeditious resolution of disputes and lessening the burden on the courts, alternative mechanisms for resolution (ADR) are the only alternative through arbitration, conciliation, mediation and negotiation.

Please refer to full text to view abstract. <br>LL.M. (Commercial Law)

The thesis contributes to the debate on the EU’s approach to the business practice of resale price maintenance (RPM), which is widely criticized as too strict and in conflict with what is considered to be the consensus in the economic literature. The thesis critically dissects the economic consensus, on which the critique against the EU’s approach is based, by analyzing the empirical evidence that is cited to support the claim that RPM can frequently be explained by the service-based RPM models and shows that there is no convincing evidence that would support the significance of these positive RPM models that predict positive effects on welfare. To support this finding the thesis collects new evidence by surveying the marketing literature and shows that not only is there no convincing evidence that the positive RPM models frequently apply, but to the contrary there is evidence that these models are inconsistent with the real world phenomenon of RPM. Having refuted the service-based models the thesis takes up the scientific challenge that “it takes a theory to beat a theory” and proposes to fill the gap with three price-based models. The thesis offers an analysis of the three price-based RPM models, first from the perspective of welfare effects and then from a broader economic perspective in an attempt to ultimately show that the EU approach to RPM can be justified based on these economic models. All three models explain the situation in which RPM is used by a branded good manufacturer to create the perception of high quality, which is used either as a credible quality signal, becomes a component of the product or is used to bias the consumer decision; they thus enter the difficult terrain of consumer preference formation and of markets for the intangible components of a product.

The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) is one of the most prominent legal bodies in international commerce. In 1980, the final draft of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG or the Convention) was approved by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and came into operation on 1 January 1988. Generally, the diversity of laws is an impediment to international and regional trade. Traders are discouraged from entering into international sales contracts due to the dissimilarities of legal systems. However, the CISG seeks to unify laws relating to the international sale of goods, whilst codifying the existing rules of international trade. The main objectives of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are to achieve development and economic growth through regional integration.1 The legal integration and unification of sales law has a significant role to play in regional integration. Hence, SADC would do away with difficulties that affect interregional and intra-regional trade by impeding economic growth by making use of widely accepted trade laws, such as the Convention. International trade promotes both economic development and social upliftment. Moreover, democracy, political stability and human rights must be respected to foster sustainable economic growth and development in Southern Africa. 2 With advantages such as accessibility, flexibility, indorsing party autonomy, simplicity, and uniform interpretation, the paper revisits the call for the unification of laws on the sale of goods in SADC and considers the role and significance of the CISG in the region. <br>LL.M. (Commercial Law)

By the time the founding fathers of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) signed the Treaty of Port Louis, the financial markets in Western and Central Africa were embryonic. Nowadays the situation has changed and it seems appropriate to reconsider relationship between OHADA law and securities exchange markets. Indeed, OHADA's Community legislation has to deal with the securities markets covered and serve both the proper functioning of the market and the protection of investors. The uniform Act on Commercial Companies and Economic Interest Groupings contains provisions referring to specific financial rules. However, is this sufficient to earn the public trust? Financial market law is a complex discipline. If we supplement this the effort required for investors to find their way between the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) or the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) stock exchange law and national constraints throughout OHADA, the following question must be asked: How is the investor's interest protected in this legal jungle? This paper tries to analyse the legal mechanisms of investor protection in the WAEMU Regional Stock Exchange and the Central African Stock Exchange, combining them with the uniform law for commercial companies of OHADA.

The resolution of disputes through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms has gained momentum over recent decades. It has increasingly occupied space in the academic literature as the “new” method to achieve “justice” for disputing parties. It is important to note that a variety of definitions of “justice” can be relied upon. However, in many cases, justice will mean the parties being able to resolve their dispute fairly, justly and amicably by applying law or legal principles. Traditional legal mechanisms for resolving disputes have been increasingly questioned as to whether they are actually capable of achieving justice in individual cases. Resolution in the courts is not only the method of resolving disputes . If the parties can resolve their own disputes then there will arise no need for court system in world. All though court system is good and fair way of dealing with civil disputes yet it might not be the best method to resolve the disputes. Basically there are four ways to of alternate dispute resolution. They are Negotiation, Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration . The of ADR is to resolve the matters in a cost effective manner and foster long term relationship.

This thesis investigates the adoption, compliance and consequences of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Africa, a continent which has mostly been ignored in prior studies due to the use of generic proxies. Drawing on DiMaggio and Powell (1983), this thesis examines the institutional pressures of IFRS adoption in Africa. Stakeholder salience theory, developed by Mitchell, Agle and Wood (1997), is employed to analyse the determinants of IFRS compliance outside the traditional capital market settings. As regards to the consequences of IFRS in Africa, this thesis analyses the impact of IFRS on audit fees, audit reporting lags and auditor switch. The study used panel data from 54 countries and 205 firms covering the financial years 2003-2016. Secondary data was sourced from reputable database and annual reports of sample companies. Different analytical tools such as ordinary least squares, logit and multinomial regressions were used based on their suitability to address the research questions. The study found that only 18 out of the 54 countries required all listed and large companies to report per IFRS, while 25 did not permit IFRS. The results supported the theoretical prediction that coercive, mimetic, and normative isomorphism influenced IFRS adoption in Africa. Specifically, the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) influence on African countries in adopting IFRS was not through foreign aid and grants; instead, their recommendations made in the Report on Observance of Standard and Codes (Accounting and Auditing) initiatives. The finding(s) also demonstrated that the presence of global audit firms and the number of years of IFAC membership had a strong association with a country’s decision to adopt IFRS. Moreover, countries with strong professional accounting organisations (PAO) were more likely to adopt IFRS. On IFRS compliance, the study found that the average compliance score among the companies over the period was 70.94%, with a minimum score of 58.59% and a maximum of 83.55%. The findings reported a significant positive association between audit committee competence (ACC) and compliance, and between chartered accountants on board (AOB) and compliance. The thesis also documented that compliance has been increasing over the years. Regarding the impact of IFRS on the audit market, the findings suggested IFRS was positively and significantly associated with an increase in audit fees regardless of early or late adoption. Also, on average, ARL increased by 26% across all samples, with late adopters experiencing 28% and earlier adopters 22% during the adoption year. Contrary to the late adopters, early adopters experienced a significant increase in audit fees during the pre-IFRS period due to the set-up and implementation at the time. In addition, IFRS adoption was likely to cause companies to switch from small audit firms to the Big 4. The findings on adoption suggest that global accounting agencies such as IFAC and IASB should focus on building vibrant national level accounting institutions such as PAOs to facilitate the adoption of IFRS in Africa. The thesis, therefore, adds to the adoption literature the finding that the isomorphic pressures in Africa are different from those suggested in prior studies. The results on compliance imply that companies that appoint more professional accountants to their boards are more likely to comply with the requirement of IFRS. Therefore, it is suggested that companies should engage more chartered accountants in their governance. Also, corporate boards must strive to strengthen their audit committees by appointing more NEDs and CAs to the committee. The findings also provide valuable information for professional accounting organisations on the role of its members (professional accountants) in the effectiveness of IFRS compliance. The findings of the consequences of IFRS on the audit market alert small and medium practitioners (SMPs) in non-IFRS countries of the possible loss of clients to the Big4 due to the adoption of IFRS. To mitigate this effect, the national PAO should build the capacity of their local accountants through training and education to handle the complexities and continuous upgrading of IFRS. Such training is seen as being crucial for SMPs in OHADA countries, Ethiopia, Djibouti and other countries which are in the process of implementing IFRS.

Please refer to full text to view abstract. <br>LL.M. (Commercial Law)

Please refer to full text to view abstract. <br>LL.M. (Commercial Law)

The thesis analyses how public international law regulates the entry of foreign investors and investments into states. It explores the various legal concepts and techniques to limit the freedom of states to accept investments and regulate their access, employed in different regimes of international law. These are: international trade law – mainly illustrated by the WTO (World Trade Organisation) agreements, in particular, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and preferential trade agreements (PTAs) – and international investment law (IIL) – scattered through a network of bilateral investment treaties (BITs). The thesis concludes that there are signs that the international rules regulating the entry of investments in services are converging in several levels of alignment and treaty making. Convergence means a reduction of non-shared legal and systemic characteristics or an increase in shared characteristics. Several factors support this conclusion: the progressive incorporation in treaties of establishment rights for investors, that is, commitments by states to allow foreign investments under certain conditions; the narrowing-down of investor-state dispute settlement clauses dealing with entry, which makes IIL systemically closer to international trade law regarding dispute settlement; the hidden liberalising power that flows from the broad interaction of the most-favoured-nation (MFN) clauses in the GATS and IIL with entry provisions; and, the incorporation of concepts and techniques from the international trade law world into investment chapters of larger international economic agreements, such as the GATS absolute standard of market access and its system of exceptions and justifications. These converging signs are considered a natural evolution of the rules given that trade and investment sometimes represent complementary market access strategies in the context of global value chains. The thesis suggests that this move towards convergence may bring about more effectiveness to the rules by attaining the goal of investment liberalisation balanced with the safeguard of regulatory space.

Cette thèse analyse la question relative au cas où, dans l'arbitrage international en matière d'investissements, dont le but principal est l'application des normes visées à la protection des investisseurs, l’État défendeur soutient que l'investissement pour lequel la protection est demandée a été obtenu au moyen d'une forme de criminalité. Dans ce contexte, la défense de l'illégalité soulevée par les État dans les contentieux d'investissement est de plus en plus courante. Cette défense fonctionne selon le schéma suivant : un État hôte enfreint les dispositions de fond que le droit international accorde aux investissements effectués dans un pays étranger, par exemple en expropriant un investisseur étranger de son investissement sans indemnité. Dans le différend qui s'ensuit devant un tribunal arbitral d'investissement, l'État défendeur invoque l'illégalité commise par l'investisseur lors de la réalisation de l'investissement pour se défendre contre la procédure arbitrale intenté contre lui. Le but principal de cette étude est celui de démontrer que des considérations systématiques de nature strictement juridique, aussi bien que de politique juridique, exigent que la défense d'illégalité dans l'arbitrage d'investissement soit strictement restreinte et qu'un tribunal ne puisse décliner d'exercer sa compétence / juridiction que dans des cas exceptionnels. Cette étude aboutit à la conclusion d'après laquelle les tribunaux d'arbitrage devraient plutôt examiner au cas par cas au stade du fond l'ensemble des circonstances soumises devant lui et procéder à une mise en balance appropriée entre les comportements de l'investisseur et ceux de l'État hôte.

The need for global financial language gave birth to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The adoption of IFRS has been argues to have changed the manner in which the financial statements are prepared, presented and reported. IFRS represents a single set of high quality, globally accepted accounting standards that can enhance comparability of financial reporting across the globe. The significant disparities between the Nigerian Statement of Accounting Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards have resulted in the Statement of Accounting Standards being regarded as outdated and incomplete as an authoritative and internationally accepted guide to the preparation of financial statements. The study however examined the extent to which Nigerian banks have implemented the provisions of IFRS frameworks. The sample comprises of fourteen quoted deposit money banks in Nigeria. Specifically, financial statement figures of 2007 – 2011 (pre-adoption period) and 2012 – 2016 (post-adoption period) were utilized. The study adopted the ex-post facto research design. Annual panel data were collected from the financial statements and accounts of 14 deposit money banks quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange as well from the Securities and Exchange Commission statistical bulletin from 2007 to 2016. The findings revealed that the return on shareholders’ funds has improved since implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on Nigerian banks. IFRS implementation has significant effect on the profitability of quoted banks in Nigeria. The implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has significantly influenced banks’ earnings and it was concluded that IFRS has positive impact on equity and earnings of banks. It was recommended that government and regulatory authorities should organize more quality training to get bankers informed.

This series of two articles provides a comparative overview of the position in the common-law conflict of laws in respect of the contractual capacity of natural persons. The comparative study is undertaken in order to provide guidelines for the future development of South African private international law. Reference is primarily made to case law and the opinions of academic authors. The legal position in the law of the United Kingdom, as the mother jurisdiction in Europe, is investigated in part I. Although Scotland is a mixed civil/common-law jurisdiction, the situation in that part of the United Kingdom is also discussed. Part II will deal with the rules and principles of private international law in respect of contractual capacity in Australasia (Australia and New Zealand), North America (the common-law provinces of Canada and the United States of America), Asia (India, Malaysia and Singapore) and Africa (Ghana and Nigeria). Part II also contains a comprehensive summary of the legal position in the common-law countries, followed by ideas for the reform of South African private international law in this regard.

This doctoral thesis deals with the regulation of non-standard employment in Southern Africa: the case of South Africa with reference to several other SADC countries. The growth and presence of non-standard employment since the 1970s has revealed an important concern in a number of countries, both at the global and national levels. The overall significance of non-standard employment has increased in recent decades in both developed and developing states, as its use has grown exponentially across economic sectors and employment. Non-standard employment is the opposite of the standard employment relationship, which is work that is full time and indefinite. Non-standard employment includes an unequal employment relationship between an employee and an employer. Some workers choose to work in non-standard employment, and the choice has positive results. Nonetheless, for the majority of workers, non-standard employment is associated with job insecurity, exploitation, and the absence of trade unions and collective bargaining. Non-standard employment can also create challenges for firms, the labour market and the economy, including society at large. Backing decent work for all entails a comprehensive understanding of non-standard employment and its ramifications. This study explores the regulation and protection of non-standard employment in Southern Africa with focus on South Africa. The study draws on international and regional labour standards, the South African Constitution of 1996, and the national experience to make policy recommendations that will ensure workers are protected, firms are sustainable and labour markets operate well. Social justice and the democratisation of the workplace cannot be achieved if workers in non-standard employment are excluded from the labour relations system.

Trade in Services can be described as a transaction between a supplier and a consumer without any physical movement of goods across international borders. This, in itself, presents major economic growth possibilities in both regional and multilateral terms. Regional trade agreements, if drafted to suit the specific region's strengths, can promote Trade in Services and establish regional integration. The fact that Trade in Services and regional integration, throughout the Southern African Development Community (SADC) specifically, is moving forward at such a slow pace is due to the lack of political ambition and policy makers failing to emphasise the establishment of trade specific regulatory coherence among member states. Given policy’s impact on Trade in Services, regional trade agreements must be designed to address new and emerging issues that, not only haven't been taken up in previous trade agreements, but which is also region specific and focused enough to build on new standards found in other new trade agreements that will boost regional integration. SADC countries are still in process of establishing a regional services market and, as it currently stands, major development possibilities still exist. This study compares the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with SADC’s Protocol on Trade in Services (PTIS), with the goal to determine the principles that are necessary to establish a regional market for the integration of Trade in Services. It was found that the PTIS lacks such principles and that integration of services throughout the SADC region is highly unlikely if set forth in its current direction. The finding was that the establishment of regional integration of Trade in Services throughout SADC will have to start with regulatory coherence among its members.

Dans le cadre général des regroupements d'entreprises et des groupes de sociétés, cette thèse porte sur des questions d'intérêt à la croisée de la comptabilité, du droit (notamment les dispositions légales et la réglementation comptable) et de la finance d'entreprise. En ce qui concerne la théorie comptable, le chapitre 2 étudie comment les chercheurs en économie d'entreprise ont compris les groupes d'entreprises, les comptes de groupe et le processus de leur préparation, en particulier par rapport aux juristes italiens. Ensuite, le chapitre 3 reconstruit le processus politique et législatif qui a engendré la naissance du concept de groupe de sociétés dans le corpus juridique italien.Concernant le droit et la politique comptable, une analyse comparative est effectuée au chapitre 4qui montre clairement l'évolution de la notion de contrôle et de son utilisation dans les comptes consolidés (comptes de groupe) et les regroupements d'entreprises (I) en droit européen, (II) selon les normes comptables internationales publiées par l'IASB (International Accounting Standards Board) et (III) par rapport aux principes comptables généralement admis aux États-Unis («USGAAP»). De plus, les chapitres 5 et 6 étudient les effets du lobbying sur les normes comptables concernant les états financiers consolidés et les regroupements d'entreprises publiés par l'IASB. Fait intéressant, les résultats concordent avec une forme de capture du normalisateur comptable international par une catégorie d'institutions financières. En effet, confrontées à un modèle de consolidation prétendument basé sur le contrôle, ces dernières ont plaidé en faveur d'une exception de consolidation fondée sur un modèle de propriété et documentée comme ayant été proposée par les sociétés d'audit américaines dans ce contexte au moins depuis 1995. Ce modèle s’avère avoir trouvé un terrain fertile au sein de l'IASB. En conséquence, d'autres catégories d'institutions financières,telles que les fonds d'investissement à long terme et ceux gérés par une famille tout en préférant un modèle de consolidation différent, ne sont plus autorisées à présenter des états financiers consolidés. En ce qui concerne la finance d’entreprise, le chapitre 7 analyse les implications de différentes décisions de financement dans un nouveau échantillon de fusions et acquisitions entre institutions financières (banques et assurances) consommées dans le monde entier au cours des deux dernières décennies. En particulier, il étudie (I) la relation entre la méthode de choix de paiement (si le prix est payé en cash, en actions ou une combinaison des deux) et le choix du mode de financement d'un regroupement d'entreprises (y compris les instruments hybrides) et (II) la réaction des investisseurs à l'annonce de la combinaison. En ce qui concerne ce dernier point, l'utilisation de deux tests non paramétriques permet de détecter une relation intéressante entre la réaction du marché à l'annonce et les différents modes attendus de financement de la transaction.

But de la recherche : déterminer la dépendance des caractéristiques des marques (perceptibilité visuelle, représentation graphique, le caractère distinctif, non-généricité etc.), sur les types généraux spécifiques de capacités intellectuelles et sur les caractéristiques conatives des consommateurs de la population générale, par application de nombreux tests. La recherche a été réalisée sur un échantillon de 206 sujets-consommateurs. Ils ont évalué la qualité des marques de commerce (déposées et refusées) pour différents types de produits et services (TM-1 test). Les sujets ont été testés avec 3 tests cognitifs et 6 tests conatifs. Méthodes quantitatives appliquées : paramètres élémentaires de la statistique descriptive ; corrélation ; analyse factorielle ; analyse de régression multivariée, analyse canonique des corrélations. Les résultats ont indiqué que les variables cognitives et conatives ont des relations statistiquement significatives avec les résultats de TM test (qualité des marques).

The energy industry is a key source of growth stimulation for developing states. This is true not only in terms of economic growth, but also in terms of the transfer of knowledge and skills as well as the provision of employment opportunities. Understandably, developing states are well-disposed towards international investors, and are eager to enter into petroleum investment contracts with the expectation that this will bring the aforementioned benefits to their countries particularly where the host state is less able to act as a provider of such resources autonomously. On a global scale, regardless of their type, all investments face risks. These risks are volatile in nature and reach as the world economy globalises. It is, of course, true that political risk phenomena per se are potentially destructive to all industries. However, it is fair to say that due to its high stakes, the energy industry is more acutely exposed and subject to political risk than most sectors. The purpose of this article is to examine political risk, particularly direct expropriation risk, in long-term energy investment projects. This paper will refer to arbitral decisions with regard to expropriation cases, as well as the valuation techniques applied by the investment arbitration tribunals in unlawful expropriation cases.