Bibliographie sélective OHADA

This thesis identifies a gap in existing theories of corporate finance. This gap is an implication of a Keynesian-Minskian analysis of markets and market-based economies. From a founding theoretical perspective rooted in the view that markets are not reliably efficient the case is developed that past price trend extrapolation is an important factor in corporate financing decisions. At a macro-financial level, companies repurchase equity over periods of strong market rises, while increasing debt at the same time. During periods of sustained, substantial market decline debt is retired and large new equity issues occur. This change in corporate financing is implicitly expensive as relatively low prices are realised for the new stock issued at these times. These factors suggest that conventional theories of corporate financing decisions that rely on corporate rationality and optimisation do not provide a compelling fit with observations in the period 1980-2012. Moreover, inference to Minsky’s (1986) argument that companies are compelled through market declines to shore up their balance sheets provides a better fit with the evidence. These arguments form the basis for the development of the ‘extrapolative expectations’ theory of corporate finance. The second major development in this thesis draws on the theoretical development outlined above to create market movement description and prediction models. These models operate on data drawn from the US Standard & Poors 500 index over the period 1980-2012. Two primary models are developed using binomial logistic regressions. The dichotomous dependent variables are drawn as quarters of market rise (1) or no rise (0), and market falls (1) or no fall (0), respectively for the ‘buy’ model and the ‘sell’ model. Variables tested and those found to add to an explanation of the dependent variables include: corporate debt flows, corporate equity flows, corporate dividend flows, interest rates, market volumes, and historical market levels. Each variable is tested for up to ten lags (two-and-a-half years). Collectively, the variables add to our understanding of those factors influencing (or at the least, signalling) market levels, enabling quarter ahead market forecasts to be made with greater accuracy than arises from an assumption of a random walk. This conclusion crystallises the view that company macro-financial flows and prices are an important cause or signal of future market direction.

This PhD thesis explores how the legal infrastructure for dispute resolution in transnational securities transactions can be improved, considering the regulatory and legal limits of the financial sector in each jurisdiction under study (US, Europe and Brazil). The two main objectives of the work are to a) identify the problems that currently exist for a dispute resolution mechanism in the securities area that can be used transnationally and b) propose solutions that can create a safe legal environment that can be used by the investor in case regulatory rules or the terms of the transaction are breached. The work is justified by the fact that financial markets are legal constructions, making legal certainty and the mechanisms available to enforce the terms of a transaction and apply regulatory rules, especially to the investor that is part of the transaction, essential for the own existence of financial markets. Therefore, the existence of transnational financial markets also depends on the existence of a transnational legal infrastructure, at least broad enough to protect the interest of investors. The argument developed through the work is that the creation of a transnational legal infrastructure depends on the type of dispute that is considered, since not only each type of dispute has its own peculiarities, but the national dispute resolution systems are also built based on the type of dispute that will be submitted to it. To create transnational dispute resolution systems for securities transactions, I propose the use of collective mechanisms of dispute resolution based on the initiative of private parties, the use of arbitration and the establishment of cooperation networks among national alternative dispute resolution mechanisms used to solve financial disputes.

Forfaiting, yatırım malları ve hizmet ihracından doğan alacakların satıcı-ihracatçıya rücu edilmeksizin satışı olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Farklı biçimleri bulunmasına karşılık, bu finansman yönteminin temel konusu poliçe ve bonodan doğan alacaklardır. Poliçe forfaiting'inde poliçe, ihracatçı tarafından ithalatçı üzerine çekilmekte ve onun tarafından kabul edilmektedir. Bu durumda ihracatçı keşideci, forfaiter ise lehdar ya da ciranta konumunda bulunmaktadır. Fakat bu durum bazı problemlere yol açmaktadır. Zira bu finansman yönteminin temel ve ayırıcı özelliği rücu edilmezlik klozudur. Bu kloz, kıymetli evrak hukuku bakımından ihracatçının, ciroya "rücu edilmez" kaydı eklemek suretiyle kendisini poliçenin ödenmemesi sorumluluğundan kurtarmasını ve forfaiter'ın ticari riski üstlenmesini gerekli kılar. Fakat bir poliçenin keşidecisi, poliçenin kabul edilmesini ve ödenmesini garanti etmektedir. Onun kendisini poliçenin kabul edilmemesi sorumluluğundan kurtarması mümkün iken, ödenmemesi sorumluluğundan kurtarması mümkün değildir. Zira keşidecinin poliçenin ödenmemesinden sorumluluğunu kaldıran kayıtlar yazılmamış sayılır. Bu durum ise forfaiting'in özüne aykırıdır. Bahsi geçen bu problem bonolar bakımından söz konusu olmaz; çünkü bono forfaiting'inde ithalatçı, asıl borçlu olarak düzenleyen, ihracatçı ise lehdar konumundadır ve onun kendisini ciranta olarak ödememeden sorumsuz kılması mümkündür. Bu farklılık nedeniyle forfaiting işleminde bir çok ihracatçı tarafından bonolar, poliçelere nazaran tercih edilmektedir. Forfaiting is defined as the purchase, without recourse to any previos holder of receivables due to mature in the future and arising from export of capital goods and services. Although there are several forms of forfaiting, main subject of this form of finance is receivables arising from bills of exchange and promissory notes. In bill of exchange forfaiting, the bill of exchange is drawn on the importer (drawee) by exporter (drawer) and accepted by importer. The forfaiter is payee (beneficiary) or indorser. But this cause several problems . Because the main characteristic and distinctive speciality of this financing method is "without recourse clause". This clause requires exporter to free himself from any responsibilities by using of "without recourse, sans recourse stipulation" in the indorsement and requires forfaiter to assume commercial risks in terms of law of negotiable instrument. But the drawer of a bill of exchange guarantees both aceptance and payment. He may release himself from the liability of non acceptance but any stipulation by which he releases himself from the liability of non payment is deemed to be not written. Thus, the drawer of a bill of exchange, the exporter, may not be liable as it is indorser but will always be liable as it is drawer. This situation conflicts with the esense of forfaiting. But the problem as stated above is not seemed in promissory notes because in promissory note forfaiting, the importer is maker as main obligor and the exporter is (payee) beneficiary. And he has the legal right to free himself of any liability as an indorser by using without recourse stipulation. Because of this difference promissory notes are prefered to bill of exchange by many exporters.

The promotion of sustainable development is an objective shared by African Union (AU) member states and the pursuance thereof is expressly mandated by the Constitutive Act of the African Union, 2000 and the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community, 1992. Lack of access to modern energy sources, such as electricity and the heavy reliance on traditional biomass as primary energy source are factors contributing to the non-achievement of the promotion of sustainable development. These factors are collectively referred to as energy poverty. The African Continent as a whole has limited, and in some instances, lack access to modern energy sources while the majority of its population relies heavily on traditional biomass as primary energy source. Africa can accordingly be classified as an energy poor region–a situation which does not bode well for the promotion of sustainable development. Access to reliable, affordable, economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally sound energy services and resources is fundamental to socio-economic development. Mitigating the impacts of energy poverty and more specifically lack of access to modern energy sources on the sustainable development of Africa depends upon ensuring increased access to modern energy sources. The above-mentioned instruments furthermore contain provisions which link regional cooperation on the formulation of coordinated regional law and policy on areas/matters of common concern with the achievement of the objective of promoting sustainable development in Africa. One of the areas of common concerns listed is that of energy. Regional cooperation must accordingly be geared towards the effective development of the continent‘s energy and natural resources; promoting the development of new and renewable energy in the framework of the policy of diversification of sources of energy; and establishing an adequate mechanism of concerted action and coordination for the collective solution of the energy development problems within the AU. The formulation of coordinated energy law and policy should take place with reference to the specific sources of energy to be regulated. In this regard, the provisions of the Abuja Treaty and other sub-regional energy access initiatives list various sources of energy as forming part of a diversified AU energy mix – one of which is nuclear energy. In this study recommendations are made as to what should be embodied in a coordinated AU regional nuclear legal framework aimed at regulating increased access to nuclear energy capable of contributing towards the promotion of sustainable development. The recommendations are based on an examination of relevant international, regional and sub-regional legal instruments and other initiatives.

This thesis critically assesses the effectiveness of WTO legal rules in the regulation of international trade in petroleum and highlights potential conflicts between competing resources of energy from the WTO regime’s perspective. The theoretical framework of the thesis is built on the concepts used in natural resource economics, trade theories and international relations. On the basis of Hotelling’s rule of natural resource economics, it proposes a model that reconciles the use of petroleum and the development of renewable sources of energy in the power generation sector, which prospectively can be adopted with respect to the transport sector and other sectors involving energy use. The proposed model may improve global sustainable development. However, it is argued that WTO rules are not properly designed to regulate trade in petroleum and, if applied without due respect to specific issues pertaining to the petroleum industry, would obstruct the achievement of the social optimum, and detrimentally affect the national economies of WTO members and global welfare in general. To improve the WTO system, I propose a reformation of its normative ideology through the introduction of the strategic trade policy theory in complement to the neoclassical theory of trade, at least when trade in energy is concerned. On the basis of the study of the applicability of WTO rules to trade in petroleum and a review of proposals put forward by other scholars to improve the regulation of trade in energy, it is argued that the most effective way to improve the trading regime is to negotiate a new general agreement on trade in energy.The role of the WTO in the regulation of trade in energy is analyzed through a regime management theory borrowed from international relations studies. It is argued that the WTO as a regime manager is capable of improving the regime by properly maintaining the existing equilibrium and by initiating, and leading in negotiations of a new equilibrium.

This thesis explores three important issues in financial distress and corporate bankruptcy: bankruptcy venue choice and creditor recovery, the efficiency of Chapter 11 corporate bankruptcy and distressed exchanges, and the bankruptcy ripple effect on peer firms’ investment policy.

This thesis seeks to determine whether the evolution of international law has allowed for the concept of cultural genocide to be addressed in spite of its non-codification. It firstly provides an assessment of the evolution of the concept of cultural genocide, from a technique to a process of genocide, also known as 'ethnocide'. Acknowledging that the codification of the concept is unlikely in the future, it therefore undertakes a study of the evolution of international law with regard to the main components of the concept, namely genocide, culture and group. The evolution of the legal concept of 'genocide' raises the question of the interpretation of the international definition of genocide, which is enshrined in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, so as to encompass instances of cultural destruction. The state of international and domestic judicial practice illustrates the limits of an evolutionary interpretation. In contrast, international law has evolved considerably in relation to the protection of some groups and their culture, so that customary international law, and especially international human rights law, may be deemed to prohibit group cultural destruction and consequently entail State responsibility. The thesis argues that this evolution could ground the articulation of an international law-based approach to the concept of cultural genocide both by allowing for its criminalisation through the crime against humanity of persecution and by providing tools for a stronger framework of State responsibility, especially in the context of genocide prevention. Furthermore, this approach would give rise to the possibility of further conceptualising reparation for the intended cultural damage. Against this background, the thesis firstly draws conclusions as to the irrelevance of enclosing the debate exclusively at the level of the genocide legal framework and, secondly, as to the relevance of cultural genocide as a 'paralegal concept', an understanding which would drive the interpretation of international legal norms, especially in cases involving indigenous peoples' cultural harm.

This thesis examines the relationship between the law on unfair commercial practices and consumer contract law. The thesis develops the claim that Directive 2005/29/EC, on unfair commercial practices (UCPD) has had a strong impact on the content of consumer contract law, despite the declaration concerning the independence between both branches of law contained in Article 3(2) UCPD. In order to substantiate this claim, the thesis examines the implications for consumer contract law of the main components of the regulatory regime laid down by the UCPD, namely, (1) the notion of average consumer, (2) the duty to trade fairly, (3) the duty of information and (4) the remedies. By looking both at the theoretical underpinnings and at the actual operation of this regulatory regime, the thesis casts light on the way in which the UCPD has shaped consumer contract law. The thesis further shows that this is an ongoing phenomenon whose ramifications may be far-reaching, for it implies that the UCPD is powerfully fuelling the Europeanization of contract law.

Legal systems around the world vary widely in how they deal with the assignment of receivables. This legal variety makes it difficult for financiers to conduct their international receivables financing business. This thesis suggests an International Registration System for the Assignment and Security Interest of Receivables (‘IRSAR’) and proposes a model international convention for the IRSAR (‘proposed IRSAR Convention’), which could help financiers to overcome the obstacles they currently encounter. Under the proposed IRSAR Convention, the international assignment of receivables would be regulated by a unified legal system with respect to priority and perfection. The IRSAR would facilitate international project financing. Furthermore, the IRSAR would enable companies to raise finance from greater ranges of investors around the world through international receivables financing and to dispose of non-performing loans more easily. The proposed IRSAR Convention would succeed the UN Convention on the Assignment of Receivables in International Trade in the attempt of establishing a registration system for international assignments of receivables. The proposed IRSAR Convention confines its scope of application by defining the assignor (or the security provider), inventing the concept of ‘Vehicle for the International Registration System’ (‘VIRS’). The proposed IRSAR Convention applies where the assignor or security provider is a VIRS. An assignment of a receivable where the assignor is a VIRS and a security interest in a receivable where the security provider is a VIRS could be registered in the IRSAR. Under the proposed IRSAR Convention, priority of assignments of and security interests in receivables is determined by the order of registration in the IRSAR. The proposed IRSAR Convention would be a receivables version of the Cape Town Convention. With respect to the contents and effect of registration, it would prescribe a notice-filing system along the lines of that adopted in the UCC Article 9. With respect to the operation of the registration, it would adopt an automatic online registration system operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year like the International Registry under the Cape Town Convention.

Chapter 4 of the Companies Act of 2008 aims to regulate offers to the public of securities and is reviewed against the principles which underscore the regulation of offerings. An overview of the historical development of the company which is parallel to the regulation of securities shows the crystallized principles which are compared against the development and enactment of the current regulatory regime. The concept of “complete law” as key element to effective regulation is discussed and applied in the review of Chapter 4 determining the effectiveness of the dispensation. The three determining concepts of regulation: the “offer,” “securities” and “public” are studied against the definitions which determine regulation and the inclusion of secondary market regulation of unlisted securities. Serious shortcomings in the process are identified. These errors, together with the practical problems of defining and regulating the secondary market in Chapter 4 read with the remainder of the delineating definitions, concludes that the current system is not in line with the principles of regulation and the Grundnorm of fraud prevention, resulting in Chapter 4 falling under the concept of “incomplete law” resulting in a high probability of enforcement failure and inefficiency. A comparative overview related to the jurisdictions of the United Kingdom and the United States follows with recommendations aimed at amending Chapter 4 relating to the regulatory regime in toto as well as the regulation of unlisted securities in the secondary market.

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University LondonThis study is an attempt at determining the normative legitimacy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). At its core, it scrutinizes the current mandate of the organization following the layering of economic integration objectives with human rights protection, sustenance of democracy, and the rule of law. The study discusses the elements of legitimacy across disciplines mainly, international law, international relations and political science. Legitimacy is eventually split along two divides, the normative and descriptive/sociological aspects. The study traces the normative content (shared/common values) underlying integration in Africa, concluding that integration has been born on new ideals such as human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Expectedly, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as building blocks of the prospective African Economic Community (AEC) under the African Union (AU) regime are mandated to play a vital role in moving the continent forward upon these values. The inquiry is extended to the institutions of ECOWAS to determine their capacity to effectively implement the new mandate of the organization and operate supranationally. In the process, key legal and institutional shortcomings are discussed, particularly in relation to national institutions. It is argued that while human rights protection enhances the normative legitimacy of ECOWAS, it must not be pursued in isolation. Economic integration and protection of citizens’ rights are co-terminus and mutually reinforcing. Hence, community institutions must reflect this link if they are to be effective. The study concludes on the note that, while ECOWAS possesses layers of legitimacy, and have carried out legitimation steps, it cannot be considered a legitimate organization if Member States continue to be non-compliant with community objectives and if key legal questions remain unaddressed. It is submitted that ECOWAS is merely undergoing legitimation, whether it can eventually be considered a legitimate organization is dependent on addressing the identified challenges

L'accès au juge de l'administration est un droit consacré par les textes nationaux et internationaux au profit de tout administré congolais. L'effectivité de ce droit reste néanmoins aléatoire. A chaque étape de la procédure, le justiciable rencontre des difficultés énormes, parfois infranchissables. Les MARC comportent-ils une réponse à cette crise ? L'assertion de départ était tentante : l'Afrique étant reconnue comme une terre du règlement négocié, l'on a pris comme hypothèse de travail que le vent planétaire favorable aux MARC pourrait trouver, en droit administratif congolais, un terrain de prédilection. Le contrôle juridictionnel de l'administration congolaise est effectué par les juridictions de l'ordre administratif et les juridictions de l'ordre judiciaire, civiles et militaires. La Constitution du 18 février 2006 a instauré un ordre autonome de juridictions administratives. En attendant leur installation effective, le contentieux administratif relève, à titre transitoire, de sections incorporées au sein des juridictions de l'ordre judiciaire. Le texte actuellement en vigueur n'organise que la procédure devant la section administrative de la Cour suprême de justice. Le juge administratif intervient, à titre principal, dans le contentieux de légalité et, à titre subsidiaire, dans le contentieux d'indemnités. Il est également doté du pouvoir de contrôler l'acquisition et l'exercice des mandats publics. Les juridictions judiciaires se répartissent entre les juridictions de droit commun et les juridictions militaires. Les juridictions civiles interviennent principalement dans la mise en jeu de la responsabilité de l'administration et exceptionnellement dans le contrôle de la légalité des actes des autorités administratives. Le juge militaire connaît de la responsabilité de l'administration à l'occasion de la répression des infractions commises par les militaires et les policiers. Les constats réalisés dans la présente étude permettent d'affirmer que le contrôle juridictionnel de l'administration congolaise constitue une justice marginale, éloignée du citoyen et rejetée par lui. La défaillance des acteurs judiciaires, les carences institutionnelles et les inadéquations normatives éloignent la justice administrative congolaise des missions élémentaires de service public qu’elle devrait pourtant assumer. Les décisions de justice souffrent d'une faible qualité et d'une inexécution chronique. Tout ceci disqualifie le recours juridictionnel et dévalorise la notion de légalité. La médiation institutionnelle, la médiation processuelle, la conciliation et l'arbitrage constituent-ils une réponse à ces difficultés ? Alors que l'Afrique est réputée terre de MARC, c'est plutôt en Belgique qu'ils se développent. La médiation institutionnelle y joue un rôle régulateur incontestable. Par contre, le régime de la médiation processuelle reste peu incitatif. L'habilitation légale imposée au sujet des personnes morales de droit public ne permet pas l'éclosion de ce MARC en droit administratif belge. L'habilitation légale est également requise pour la participation de l'administration à la conciliation. Cette habilitation est intervenue à maintes reprises. Les cas étudiés démontrent une faible contribution de la conciliation aux litiges ponctuels. Elle semble mieux convenir aux litiges des masses dont les faits sont incontestés. En droit public belge, l'arbitrage est limité aux litiges contractuels. L'arbitrabilité des litiges extra-contractuels est soumise à une habilitation légale. La modification intervenue pour étendre le régime d'arbitrage à l'ensemble du litige contractuel et non plus seulement aux différends relatifs à l'élaboration ou à l'exécution ne suffit pas à lui assurer une grande efficacité. En règle générale, l'hésitation du législateur belge s'explique par le succès du juge de l'administration. La R.D.C. figure parmi les rares pays africains qui ignorent l'institution d'Ombudsman. La médiation traditionnelle à travers la palabre africaine a été évincée par l'administration coloniale et post-coloniale. Par contre, la conciliation se développe en droit administratif depuis les années 2000. Chaque nouveau texte réserve un espace à la conciliation. Longtemps cantonné au droit privé et aux litiges internationaux, l'arbitrage apparaît progressivement dans certains secteurs du droit administratif congolais à partir des années 2000. L'adhésion de la R.D.C. à l'OHADA consolide l'arbitrabilité des litiges impliquant l'administration. L'environnement socio-juridique congolais semble ainsi ouvert aux MARC. Il s'observe, en outre, une convergence favorable de la jurisprudence, de la doctrine et des acteurs politiques. Leur efficacité devant les difficultés d'accès à la justice administrative congolaise reste néanmoins sujette à caution. En l'absence d'une volonté de transparence administrative, il est à craindre que la tendance favorable au règlement négocié ne conduise à l'instauration de MARC en trompe l'œil, sans impact réel sur les difficultés d'accès à la justice administrative congolaise. Au terme de cette étude, il apparaît que la perspective d'un meilleur accès à la justice administrative passe plutôt par une alternative citoyenne. Celle-ci semble distiller des vertus susceptibles de favoriser l'implémentation des MARC et la rationalisation du contrôle juridictionnel de l'administration congolaise. La justice citoyenne préconisée dans cette thèse désigne la faculté pour l'administré et l'agent public de régler directement leur conflit sans s'en référer à l'appareil judiciaire. Elle repose sur deux piliers : la défiance et le dialogue. La justice citoyenne alimente la responsabilité et l'émancipation des citoyens. Les réponses inventées par les citoyens et les agents publics révèlent une véritable résilience qui augure une perspective intéressante pour l'accès à la justice administrative congolaise. Apprivoiser et intégrer cette justice pragmatique dans le giron de la justice étatique devrait ouvrir des horizons nouveaux pour les justiciables congolais. L'interaction entre ces MARC et le contrôle juridictionnel devrait faire bouger les lignes et générer ainsi une certaine amélioration de la justice administrative. En examinant la question au départ d'initiatives citoyennes, la thèse réinterroge le paradigme dominant dans la réforme de la justice en RDC et dans les Etats qui partagent le même contexte.

In 1998 the European Union adopted a new self-standing instrument of collective enforcement - the Action for Injunction. Until then, the main focus was on the improvement of the position of the individual consumer through the adoption of substantive consumer law directives. The Injunction Directive provides for a general framework on consumer law enforcement in national and cross-border litigation. Qualified entities, public agencies and/or consumer organisations, are granted legal standing. National courts are bound to mutually respect the standing of EU wide registered qualified entities. Outside these clear-cut rules on the mutual recognition of standing, the Injunction Directive remains largely silent. The implementation into 28 Member States swiftly revealed the rather limited harmonising effect. The thesis investigates and explains how despite the legally approved diversity, the Injunction Directive contains the potential to turn diversity into convergence. The key to understanding the potential is the thesis of dualism of enforcement measures. Read together with the Annex the Injunction Directive establishes the deep interconnection between collective and individual enforcement, of substantive and procedural enforcement, of judicial and administrative enforcement. The different levels and means of enforcement should not be regarded separately but should always be looked at in their interplay, in their mutual institutional design and their mutual impact. Evidence for convergence can be found in the Invitel judgment of the ECJ and in the practice of consumer organisations via co-ordination actions across borders by which they overcome the boundaries of collective vs. individual or judicial vs. administrative enforcement. Regulation 2006/2004 re-adjusts the dualistic structure of enforcement in favour of public bodies and promotes convergence through para-legal means, through new modes of enforcement, through co-operation and co-ordination outside courts and in open interaction between administrative bodies, to which consumer organisations are admitted on approval only.

State aid law is made up of rules and procedures whose main characters are the Member States – as the addressees of the norms – and the Commission – as their enforcer. The prominent position of these two actors often overshadows the impact that the administration of the rules on State aid has on private undertakings, be it the beneficiaries of State aids or their competitors. This thesis is concerned with the latter. The aim of the thesis is to assess the extent to which competitors may rely on the rules on State aid to protect themselves against the potentially harmful effects of subsidies and other forms of state, financial assistance to firms. This endeavour raises two challenges. The first challenge is to identify the channels through which competitors may voice their interest in the context of a system of governance to which they are in principle alien. This is the issue of access. The second challenge is assess the likelihood that the Commission shall heed to the concerns voiced by competitors. In other words, the challenge is to gauge the power of influence that competitors may exert through each of these channels. This is the issue of leverage. In order to carry out this inquiry, the thesis scrutinizes the means of redress available to competitors before national courts (“private enforcement”), as well as the opportunities that they have to make their voice heard in the course of the Commission’s procedures (“public enforcement”) – namely, the possibility to lodge complaints, the possibility to participate in the consultation phase of Article 108(2) TFEU and the possibility to seek the judicial review of State aid decisions.

Pretende–se com esta tese intítulada “ Direito Comunitário material e Integração Sub–Regional: Contributo para o Estudo das Mutações no Processo da Integração Económica e Monetária da África Ocidental” pôr em evidência as mutações ocorridas na actual zona franco, no período colonial e pós colonial dos países africanos e as reformas das principais instituições comunitárias nela verificadas.Impõe–se uma nova abordagem da realidade contemporânea, no quadro das profundas mudanças ocorridas, a reclamar novos instrumentos de análise e de integração regional.Neste sentido, o Tratado da União Monetária Oeste Africana (UMOA) proclamou expressamente a vontade que animava os Estados–membros de prosseguirem na via da integração regional e de transformarem o conjunto das relações entre os si numa União Económica e Monetária.Com o propósito de somar à moeda única a harmonização legislativa, a abertura e a unificação dos mercados, a adopção de politicas económicas convergentes, propõe–se a União Económica e Monetária da África Ocidental (UEMOA) levar a cabo a habitual sequência da integração regional.Analisamos profundamente as políticas comunitárias, distinguindo primeiro políticas visando mais directamente a livre circulação das mercadorias, das pessoas, dos serviços e dos capitais no âmbito da UEMOA e da CEDEAO.A presente tese de doutoramento visa retratar o regime monetário regional que historicamente está ligado ao espaço colonial francês e depois se integrou progressivamente no sistema monetário internacional.Enfatizamos os principais instrumentos de política monetária regional, bem como o quadro institucional da União.Traçamos as premissas para uma teoria geral da integração dos Estados–membros da zona franco no contexto duma integração monetária e do novo multilateralismo comercial.Num ambiente cada vez mais concorrencial e difícil tornam-se prementes uma firme e necessária cooperação e integração regionais.No contexto da União Africana e da Nova Parceira para o Desenvolvimento do Continente Africano (NEPAD), evocamos as condições prévias do desenvolvimento com relação ao combate à pobreza. A nova Parceria Económica entre os países africanos e a União Europeia, consubstanciada no reforço do comércio internacional, permitindo robustecer as económicas africanas frágeis, que evidenciam falta de competitividade e de complementaridade, e uma um melhor inserção na económia regional e mundial.Nesta ordem de ideias, debruçamo-nos sobre as vantagens comparativas dos países da zona franco face às regras da Organização Mundial do Comércio (OMC).Partindo do entendimento de que o comércio internacional é necessário e que as trocas comerciais venham mesmo a ser inevitáveis, o que se propõe é uma nova discussão, inquirindo–se se o sistema multilateral de comércio pode fomentar e englobar um projecto de desenvolvimento.

This thesis explores the way in which EU and U.S. antitrust rules address opportunistic conducts that emerge in the context of standard essential patents (SEPs). The analysis finds that the two systems have very different scopes in addressing those practices: conduct lawful under U.S. antitrust law is condemned by the EU competition law and vice versa. In contrast to other fields of antitrust, the differences between the EU and U.S. approach do not arise from the application of different legal standards, but rather reflect the core divergences in the statutory texts that address unilateral practices. The analysis also shows that both in the European Union and in the United States, competition authorities have tried to increase the scope of competition law—first, by stretching the antitrust doctrines outside established borders, and second, by advocacy measures designed to avoid opportunism related to SEPs. The thesis shows, nonetheless, that both approaches are problematic and a more cautious strategy is needed to avoid the risk of injecting imbalance in the standardization context.

Die Koexistenz des „regionalen" und „universalen“ Einheitsrechts wirft eine Reihe von Rechtsfragen auf, deren Behandlung und Lösung auf den Gebieten des Privat- und Wirtschaftsrechts nicht nur Schwierigkeiten bereiten, sondern auch erhebliche Umstellung erfordern. Einerseits bietet der wachsende Bestand regional vereinheitlichter oder harmonisierter Rechtsnormen gegenüber dem disziplinären Rechtswesen des Völkerrechts ein anderes, facettenreiches Bild und bringt damit neue Forschungsweisen sowie ein anderes Denken und Wissen im Bereich des Privat- und Handelsrechts hervor. In der Erforschung der Spannungsverhältnisse und Lösungsansätze, die sich aus Wechselwirkungen, Konkurrenzverhältnissen sowie Konfliktlagen zwischen derartigen Rechtswesen ergeben, stehen die Rechtswissenschaften noch am Anfang. Andererseits führt die Entwicklung der elektronisch unterstützten Gestaltung sämtlicher wirtschaftlicher Transaktionen (E-Commerce) einen Wandel in der Wirtschaft herbei. Der Kauf von Waren bei einem Online-Versandhaus, die elektronische Kommunikation zwischen einer Handelskette und ihren Zulieferbetrieben, Teleshopping, die elektronische Unterstützung von Warentransporten stellen Beispiele für diesen Wandel dar. Der Internetzugang erleichtert die Intensivierung des An- und Verkaufs von Waren über staatliche Grenze hinweg. Bei derartiger „Grenzenlosigkeit“ wirtschaftlicher Nutzung und aufgrund der fortschreitenden Globalisierung stellt sich im Zuge des Geschäftsverkehrs zwischen Unternehmern (Kaufleuten) oder zwischen Unternehmer und Verbraucher als Parteien aus rechtlicher Sicht neben den unverzichtbaren vertraglich zu regelnden Punkten auch die Frage nach dem auf den Kaufvertrag anwendbaren Recht. Aus dieser Perspektive analysiert die Arbeit umfassend und kritisch gegenüber , - nach einer systematischen Darstellung des UN-Kaufrechts und der(s) OHADA (Rechts insb AU.DCG) hinsichtlich der Entstehung, des Aufbaus, der Grundzüge, der Bedeutung unter Berücksichtigung des Verhältnisses zwischen den beiden Regelwerken und deren Eigenschaften -, den Kaufvertrag zwischen dem Verkäufer und dem Käufer ins System des Handelskaufs der OHADA im Vergleich zu CISG-Regelungen.

A Comunidade para o Desenvolvimento da África Austral (SADC) é um dos principais processos de integração regional da África. A criação da Comunidade está fundada no processo de descolonização da África Austral e na mobilização dos Estados da Linha de Frente na contenção das políticas de desestabilização da África do Sul durante o período do apartheid. A concepção de regionalismo desenvolvimentista, na qual os processos de integração regionais têm objetivos mais amplos do que os meramente comerciais, vai ao encontro da realidade da África Austral. O conceito de comunidade de segurança também é útil para compreender as relações regionais que envolvem a criação e o desenvolvimento da SADC ao longo das décadas, tendo em vista a sua atuação também nas questões securitárias. O objetivo desse trabalho é analisar a evolução da SADC, desde a sua criação até os anos 2000, enfatizando os aspectos históricos e políticos desse processo. Parte-se do pressuposto de que há uma forte relação entre segurança, desenvolvimento, paz e integração e que não há como a integração econômica aprofundar-se em um contexto de instabilidade político-securitária regional. The Community for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is one of the main regional integration processes in Africa. The creation of the Community has its origins in the process of decolonization in Southern Africa and in the Front Line States the mobilization to contain the destabilization policies by South Africa during the apartheid period. The concept of developmental regionalism, in which the processes of regional integration have broader objectives than purely commercial, folows the reality of Southern Africa. The concept of security community is also useful for understanding regional relations involving the creation and development of SADC over the decades, concerning your activity also in security issues. The aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of SADC since its creation until the 2000’s, emphasizing the historical and political aspects of this process. It adopts the assumption that there is a strong relationship between security, development, integration and peace and there is no way to deepen economic integration in a context of regional political and security instability. La Communauté de Développement de l'Afrique Australe est l'un des principaux processus d'intégration régionale en Afrique . La création de la Communauté est fondée dans le processus de décolonisation en Afrique australe et dans la mobilisation de les État du Linge de Front pour contenir les politiques de déstabilisation de l'Afrique du Sud au cours de la période de l'apartheid. Le concept de régionalisme développementiste, dans lequel les processus d'intégration régionale ont des objectifs plus larges que purement commerciale, répond à la réalité de l'Afrique Australe . Le concept de communauté de sécurité est également utile pour comprendre les relations régionales sur la création et le développement de la SADC au cours des décennies , en vue de ses performances aussi dans les questions sécuritaire . L’objectif de cette étude est d'analyser l'évolution de la SADC depuis sa création jusqu'aux années 2000 , mettant l'accent sur les aspects historiques et politiques de ce processus . Séjours à l'hypothèse selon laquelle il existe une relation forte entre la sécurité, le développement, l'intégration et la paix et il n'ya aucun moyen d'approfondir l'intégration économique dans un contexte d’instabilité politique et securitaire régionale.

Le paiement par chèque par le biais de la chambre de compensation jouit d’une importance capitale pour tout pays, en ce sens qu’il favorise – s’il est généralisé à l’ensemble d’une société donnée – la «bancarisation» de la population, laquelle bancarisation conduit inéluctablement au développement économique du pays dans lequel un tel système est implanté. C’est autour de cette affirmation que se fera la démonstration de notre thèse de doctorat portant sur «le rôle de la chambre de compensation dans l’usage du chèque, au Canada, en France et dans l’UEMOA , au regard de la bancarisation». Il s’agit d’une étude de droit comparé qui, tout en mettant en exergue la place qu’occupe le paiement par chèque dans les pays visés par l’étude, démontrera que, quelles que soient les solutions adoptées par chacun de ces pays, ce postulat reste indéniable : selon que la population d’un pays donné l’accepte bien ou mal – à cause de la méfiance qu’il peut susciter et des incidents de paiement qui peuvent l’accompagner –, le paiement par chèque via la chambre de compensation conduit immanquablement, ou devient une entrave, à la bancarisation de cette population. Or, sans bancarisation, il ne saurait y avoir, dans un pays donné, de solutions durables d’implantation d’une telle chambre, et partant, d’un système bancaire efficient, sève nourricière de l’économie nationale. Car il est établi que la solidité et la fiabilité du système bancaire sont toujours à la racine de l’essor du développement économique du pays dans lequel la chambre de compensation est implantée.

A l'heure actuelle, les règles du droit des sociétés et plus particulièrement du droit pénal des affaires imposent aux dirigeants le respect de très nombreuses normes. Pour autant dans les faits on ne peut dénombrer qu'un très faible taux de condamnations qui sont limitées à quelques incriminations ciblées tels les abus de biens sociaux, les délits d'initiés, les banqueroutes ... C'est pourquoi il semble impératif de procéder à une dépénalisation de cette matière, nécessité qui transparaît à travers différentes lois et directives depuis le début des années 2000. Mais pour que la dépénalisation aboutisse, il est aujourd'hui nécessaire de déterminer dans quel cadre l'utilisation du droit pénal doit perdurer. D'autre part, il appert que la substitution d'une sanction pénale par une sanction ayant un caractère civil, commercial ou administratif peut avoir un effet contraire à celui escompté. Enfin, il convient également de prendre en compte l'impact de la responsabilité pénale des personnes morales comme source de dépénalisation. Responsabilité qui est aujourd'hui appliquée de manière trop fluctuante et qui doit de ce fait faire l'objet d'une redéfinition par le législateur afin de se substituer à notre sens dans de nombreux cas à la responsabilité des personnes physiques dirigeantes.