Bibliographie sélective OHADA

CSR refers primarily to a framework idea according to which a corporation is encouraged, if not obliged, to go beyond the speculative and economic goals that benefit its members only, in order to integrate, into its decision-making process, other more holistic considerations of an ethical, social and environmental nature for the benefit of all stakeholders. CSR is a key concept that attempts to reconcile economic objectives with social, ethical and environmental considerations, with the particularity of questioning interactions between a corporation and its societal, ethical and ecological environment. This paper has a modest, but not uninteresting, objective. First, it offers an exploratory study that sets out markers for a more exhaustive analysis of the potential for CSR in the field of law in the Ohada zone. Our study is intended to be both theoretical and pragmatic: it asks questions and suggests topics for review from a normative standpoint largely inspired by socio-economic analysis. One of the interesting features of our approach is to consider, comprehensively, a complex notion that reflects several different concerns and is crossed by various conceptual frameworks that must be re-read in an “enlightened” manner, to see how it could potentially be made operational as part of Ohada law. This previously unexplored approach could lead, in time, to the establishment of a transnational committee on CSR in the Ohada zone.

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.

L’Acte uniforme relatif au droit des sociétés coopératives est le neuvième instrument juridique adopté par l’Organisation pour l’harmonisation en Afrique du droit des affaires (OHADA). Il vise à favoriser le développement économique des coopératives dans l’espace OHADA, grâce à l’uniformisation et à l’adaptation de leur statut juridique. Pour les organisations agricoles à vocation économique, qu’elles soient coopératives ou non, la mise en œuvre de ce texte communautaire revêt un double enjeu. Le premier tient à la compréhension et la marge de manœuvre dont disposent les Etats parties dans l’application nationale du neuvième Acte uniforme. Le second enjeu concerne l’aptitude qu’ont les organisations de producteurs à intégrer et appliquer toutes les obligations juridiques découlant du nouveau texte. Dès lors, le succès de l’Acte uniforme relatif au droit des sociétés coopératives reposera sur l’équilibre à trouver entre le renforcement des capacités socio-économiques des organisations agricoles et le risque d’une plus grande fragilisation de ces dernières due à une transition juridique brutale.

L'acte uniforme sur les sociétés coopératives est entré en vigueur le 15 mai 2011 et, après une période de deux années transitoires, est applicable sans limite depuis le 15 mai 2013. Cette nouvelle législation régionale bouleverse plus ou moins les solutions antérieures, selon les pays, et donne lieu à une diffusion relativement lente. Toute décision judiciaire le concernant est d'autant plus intéressante qu'elle n'est pas fréquente. La présente décision apporte quelques éclairages sur la période d'application transitoire et fournit quelques orientations d'interprétation pour le futur. The Uniform Act on cooperative societies has been in force the 15th May of 2011 and, after two transitional years, is applicable without any limit since the 15th May of 2013. This new regulation has modified the previous national solutions, more or less deeply depending on the states, and is disseminated quite slowly. Any case about it is very interesting, notably because they are rare. The present case provides with some solutions about the transitory application of the uniform act, and some orientations for the interpretation of its provisions definitively applicable.

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.

Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures are measures aimed at the protection of human, animal and plant life and health within specified territories from the risks associated with the introduction and spread of pests and diseases through trade. The World Trade Organisation (WTO) developed an agreement on the application of SPS measures. South Africa is a member of both the WTO and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). In SADC, SPS measures are provided for in the SADC Sanitary and Phytosanitary Annexure to the Protocol on Trade of 1996. International Standard Setting Bodies (ISSBs) facilitate the effective application of the main elements of the relevant SPS agreements, especially harmonization and equivalence by establishing scientifically justified standards on which members may base their SPS measures. The relevant ISSB’s in terms of SPS measures are the OIE, IPPC and Codex Alimentarius. SPS measures have the potential to become or be used as non-tariff barriers to trade (NTBs). The SADC Protocol on Trade 1996 stipulates that policies and measures are to be implemented by members to eliminate existing forms of NTBs. Additionally members may not enforce new NTBs affecting or related to intra-SADC trade. The most relevant South African legislation in the context of SPS measures and this study is as follows: Agricultural Pests Act 36 of 1983, the Agricultural Products Act 119 of 1990; the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act 36 of 1947, the Liquor Products Act 60 of 1989, Meat Safety Act 40 of 2000, Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act 54 of 1972, Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 and National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Act 5 of 2008. The purpose of this study is to establish to what extent the South African legal framework complies with its obligations in terms of the SADC SPS Annexure to the Protocol on Trade.

Depuis la décennie 1990, une nouvelle génération des Organisations internationales africaines (OIA) émerge sur l’échiquier africain en s’inspirant, pour l’essentiel de son articulation normative et institutionnelle, du modèle européen d’intégration, notamment dans sa dimension communautaire tout en y apportant des spécificités africaines. Dès lors, le droit communautaire pose ses racines dans certaines OIA suscitant l’intérêt sans cesse nourri de la doctrine sur cette nouvelle matière. Mais existe-t-il vraiment un droit communautaire africain dont la doctrine s’efforce de présenter les grandes lignes, du moins de manière thématique ? La présente étude constitue une contribution à la problématique posée en envisageant de cerner la nature ainsi que les caractéristiques de ce droit qui se développe, principalement, en Afrique centrale et occidentale. Since the 1990s, a new generation of African International Organizations (AIO) emerges on the African continent, inspired, for most of its normative and institutional articulation, by the European model of integration, including its Community law while by bringing African specificities. Thus Community law is rooted in some AIO and the interest by the doctrine on this new branch is still constant. But is there really an African Community law that the doctrine seeks to systematize, at least thematically? This paper is a contribution to the problem posed by considering the nature and characteristics of this law developed mainly in Central and West Africa.