Although European scholars have called U.S. punitive damages an "(undesired) peculiarity of American law " and the "Trojan horse of the Americanisation of continental law", the European Union cannot close its eyes to this important feature of U.S. law. Despite being under constant scrutiny, punitive damages have a strong foothold on the other side of the ocean. Moreover, due to increased globalisation, transnational litigation is arguably on the rise. In cross-border law suits, it is inevitable that a jurisdiction will encounter legal institutions that are alien to the substantive law of the forumThis book examines the private international law treatment of American punitive damages in the European Union. It poses the crucial question whether U.S. punitive damages (should) penetrate the borders of the European Union through the backdoor of private international law. More specifically, three areas of private international law are analysed: service of process, applicable law and enforcement of judgments.In addition to describing the current positions in case law and scholarship, the book takes a normative perspective and attempts to formulate concrete guiding principles that can be used when the European legal order faces U.S. punitive damages. It, therefore, provides an invaluable resource for practitioners, judges and authorities confronted with this controversial remedy. Furthermore, as a nation's private international law attitude indicates the country's level of tolerance towards a foreign concept unknown in its own legal system, the book can form an essential building block for discussions amongst legislators surrounding the introduction of the remedy of punitive damages in substantive law.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly prevalent in our daily social and professional lives. Although AI systems and robots bring many benefits, they present several challenges as well. The autonomous and opaque nature of AI systems implies that their commercialisation will affect the legal and regulatory framework. In this comprehensive book, scholars critically examine how AI systems may impact Belgian law. It contains contributions on consumer protection, contract law, liability, data protection, procedural law, insurance, health, intellectual property, arbitration, lethal autonomous weapons, tax law, employment law and ethics. While specific topics of Belgian private and public law are thoroughly addressed, the book also provides a general overview of a number of regulatory and ethical AI evolutions and tendencies in the European Union. Therefore, it is a must-read for legal scholars, practitioners and government officials as well as for anyone with an interest in law and AI.