This article-by-article Commentary on EU Regulations 2016/1103 and 2016/1104 critically examines the uniform rules adopted by the EU to deal with the property relations of international couples, both married and in registered partnerships. Written by experts from a variety of European countries, it offers a comprehensive side-by-side discussion of the two Regulations to provide context and a deeper understanding of the issues of jurisdiction, applicable law and recognition of judgements covered.

This book has the prime purpose of analysing practice through European and national case law from the entry into force of the Twin Regulations, adding hypothetical cases in some of the countries participating in enhanced cooperation that do not yet provide for the direct application of the Regulations, and resolving them by basing judgments on private international law. Th e European family today is diverse, and proof of this is the diff erent models and their evolution in recent decades, with family relationships being based not only on those constituted by marriage but also on those formed by couples living together in a stable manner.

The Research Handbook on International Family Law brings together a carefully selected array of experts to address legal topics pertaining to family relationships in a cross-border context, and international family law disputes. It shows how this independent field of study has developed, and continues to develop, and adeptly surveys the practice and regulation of international family law.

As on 1 January 2020, some three percent of the population of the EU were citizens of one member state living and/or working in the territory of a member state other than that of which they are a citizen. In addition, around five percent of the resident population of the EU consisted of third country nationals. Naturally, these diasporic groups formed cross-border couples consisting of partners of different nationalities or partners of the same nationality both living in a country other than that of their origin. This reality, to be sure, raises many legal questions for the persons involved where the national family laws of several countries come into play. In an effort to bring about added legal certainty and predictability to couples in cross-border situations, the EU adopted several instruments often referred to together as ?EU private international family law?.00This volume examines the two most recent of these: the Matrimonial Property Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/1103) and the Regulation on the Property Consequences of Registered Partnerships (Regulation (EU) 2016/1104), together referred to as the ?Twin Regulations?. These have proved to be a crucial piece of the European family law puzzle, regulating aspects of the everyday lives of those concerned. This book presents an in-depth analysis of these instruments, revealing the substance of the provisions in the regulations and exploring their practical implications in EU family law by discussing questions that are closely related to matrimonial and partnership property regimes. The contributors also cover the relevant CJEU case law and, where available, the national case law of the EU countries. Case studies are used to interrogate the potentialities of these new instruments.

Le droit de la famille, dans sa dimension civiliste, fortement ancré dans les cultures nationales des États membres, est une matière qui ne relève pas, en principe, du droit de l’Union européenne. Pourtant, il n’est plus possible d’affirmer que la matière échappe dans son entier au droit de l’Union. De nombreux aspects de la famille sont sous influence européenne, au point que l’on voit se dessiner les contours d’une « famille européenne ». L’ouvrage propose de mettre en lumière l’acquis européen en matière de droit de la famille, au prisme du droit matériel (citoyenneté européenne, politique sociale de l’Union, fonction publique européenne...), comme du droit international privé. Le droit de la famille de l’Union s’identifie alors comme un «droit spécial» complétant la diversité des droits nationaux de la famille. Sa signification théorique et politique dans l’Union est débattue par les auteurs, autant que son devenir. Loin de demeurer fragmentaire à côté des droits nationaux des États membres, il a probablement vocation à se densifier pour offrir aux citoyens et résidents européens un droit commun de la famille au sein de l’Union. Family law, with its civil law tradition, and strong roots in the national cultures of the Member States, does not normally fall within the scope of European law. However, it is no longer possible to argue that family law is outside European law entirely. There are many aspects of the family which are subject to European influence, to the point that the outlines of a «European family» are starting to emerge. This book is intended to highlight the European experience of family law and its substantive (i.e. European citizenship, EU social policy, EU civil service...) and private international law aspects. Union law therefore contains a form of «special» family law which is shared between the Member States and supplements their national family laws. Its theoretical and political importance in the Union, as well as its future, are discussed by the authors. Far from remaining fragmented alongside the national laws of Member States, it will likely develop to offer European citizens and residents a common family law within the EU.

The fourth volume of the Balkan Yearbook of European and International Law (BYEIL) presents nine new articles offering scholarly insights into a variety of legal issues, with a special focus on the countries of Southeast Europe. All six articles in the special section reflect the authors’ efforts to untangle difficult questions concerning family property in private international law. Addressing a range of topics, leading national experts in the respective areas discuss Bosnian and Herzegovinian, Croatian, Greek, Lithuanian and Turkish law. In turn, the general sections on European law and international law include three articles on diverse topics in private and public law, from a fresh take on the legal and practical effects of Brexit over EUTMs, and the legal nature of cryptocurrencies in different jurisdictions, to difficulties establishing the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The enhanced cooperation mechanism allows at least nine Member States to introduce secondary EU law which is only binding among these Member States. From an internal market perspective, enhanced cooperation laws are unique as they lie somewhere between unilateral Member State laws and uniform European Union law. The law creates harmonisation and coordination between the participating Member States, but may introduce trade obstacles in relation to non-participating Member States. This book reveals that the enhanced cooperation mechanism allows Member States to protect their harmonised values and coordination endeavours against market efficiency. Values which may not be able to justify single Member State's trade obstacles may outweigh pure internal market needs if an entire group of Member States finds these value worthy of protection. However, protection of the harmonised values can never go as far as shielding participating Member States from the negative effects of enhanced cooperation laws. The hybrid nature of enhanced cooperation laws - their nexus between the law of a single Member State and secondary EU law - also demands that these laws comply with state aid law. This book shows how the European state aid law provisions should be applied to enhanced cooperation laws. Furthermore, the book also develops a sophisticated approach to the limits non-participating Member States face in ensuring that their actions do not impede the implementation of enhanced cooperation between the participating Member States.

With cross-border successions becoming increasingly common in the context of the European Union, this timely book offers a systematic practical analysis of how cross-border successions should be treated, including examination of which courts may establish jurisdiction over succession disputes and which law governs such disputes. Studying cross-border successions in the context of estate planning and in the opening and liquidation of a succession, it examines the specificities of the European Certificate of Succession, contextualising it within its interface with the national laws and practice of EU Member States.

This book assesses the impact of the May 2019 European elections as well as the Covid-19 pandemic on the EU’s politics, institutions, and policies. Special attention is paid to the impact of these events on the different political forces as well as on the Union’s institutional balance, its priorities and the reform of its budget and policies. Because of the many post-electoral uncertainties, the book also takes into account how the relations between the Parliament, the European Council and the new Commission have developed. Furthermore, it analyses the capacity of the von der Leyen Commission to implement an ambitious programme, especially in the context of an unfolding pandemic. The objective of this book is to study the 2019 electoral sequence (parliamentary elections, appointment of EU institutions leaders, investiture of the Commission, new legislative programme) and determine its influence on the main institutional and political challenges for the 2019-2024 legislature. In other words, the volume deals with the question of who holds the EU’s leadership after the 2019 elections and how it handles the 2020-2021 pandemic.

Bringing together global experts in the field, this Research Handbook presents an overview of recent developments in property law in European jurisdictions and in European Union law. It analyses the ways in which these frameworks adapt to modern challenges such as climate change, digitalisation, an ageing population and the effects of pandemics.