The concept of the nation-state has as an essential element the control of territory, legal and political authority over the acquisition, ownership, use and disposition of land. The rapid increase during the 1970s in the pace of foreign 1 investment -with the acquisition of real property as a centerpiece-has stirred new concern for the ability and disability of aliens to invest in and acquire title 2 to the physical territory of a given state. With a variety of factors now stimulating 3 foreign investment in land, increased attention has been given in many countries to the role of the state in controlling, inhibiting or prohibiting investment in real property by aliens. English law long ago established that the alien would be subject to significant 4 disabilities in connection with the ownership of land. The imposition of similar 5 restrictions on aliens is found in the early law of most nation-states. Such disabilities have their roots in the feudal period, and it was not until the eighteenth century that the countries of Continental Europe abandoned the absolute 6 prohibition on succession to real property by aliens. The prohibition was replaced by a tax imposed on aliens who withdrew the property of the state of which the decedent was a citizen. Common Law rules restricting alien succession developed in the thirteenth century.

More than a decade has passed since economist Richard N. Cooper reflected upon the trend toward increasing economic interdependence in the international community: During the past decade there has been a strong trend toward economic interdependence among the industrial countries. This growing interdependence makes the successful pursuit of national economic objectives much more difficult. Broadly speaking, increas ing interdependence complicates the pursuit of national objectives in three ways. First, it increases the number and magnitude of the disturbances to which each country's balance of payments is subjected, and this in turn diverts policy attention and instruments of policy to the restoration of external balance. Second, it slows down the process by which national authorities, each acting on its own, are able to reach their domestic objectives. Third, the response to greater integration can involve the community of nations in counter-acting motions which leave all countries worse off than they need be . . . J Nothing has occured in the 1970s to suggest that Cooper's assessment is inaccurate. Indeed, the process which he identified has accelerated. By the mid-1970s, if one is to mention but one example, exports accounted for twenty per cent of the combined gross national product of the Member States of the European Communities, and exports provided seven per cent of the 2 gross national product of the United States."

DENNIS CAMPBELL AND MARK MILLER Introduction Within the last decade, there has been significant expansion in both the frequency and quantity of direct foreign investment by Western countries and multinational 1 corporations (MNC's) in the forni of joint ventures in Eastern Europe. These joint ventures, as well as other forms of mutual-cooperation trade arrangements, represent positive evidence of the increasing enthusiasm towards East-West trans actions now found on both sides of the European frontier. The spirit with which Western governments and business interests have sought to expand involvement in the East European market has been well documented. However, there has been relatively little attention paid to the extremely important internal changes which have come about within the foreign-trade policies of the Eastern European coun tries and which have served to accommodate the growth of trade with the West. This dramatic increase in direct foreign investment in the form of joint ventures results primarily from the passage of enabling legislation in a number of the East European states, legislation which has facilitated and attracted business invest ment from the West. Thus, it is opportune to examine and review the policy reforms and amendments which have been enacted in Eastern Europe and the Western responses thereto. As a preliminary matter, the term 'joint venture', as well as other mechanisms for foreign investment as used here, should be defined and distinguished."

This text examines the increasingly important area of consumer protection law in an international context. The contributing authors are legal practitioners and scholars from a variety of jurisdictions who have focused on the intricacies of consumer protection in their countries. Consumers are often aware that they have rights when purchasing, but are not always sure exactly what those rights are. This book elucidates and clarifies the many confusing aspects of this area of law, giving special regard to service standards, testing, advertising claims, trade descriptions and price controls.

The annual Journal of the International Institute for Law and Medicine examines legal issues relating to health care, medicinal products, intellectual property rights in pharmaceuticals, and liability in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The Journal is published annually by the International Institute for Law and Medicine, providing commentary on current issues in the interplay among law, medicine, and health care by lawyers, physicians, and health care professionals from countries throughout the world.

This edition of the Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business surveys issues involved in post-employment employer-employee relations and the ability of employers to control the conduct of a former employee. The survey's introductory chapter provides a general review of issues in the context of multiple jurisdictions, followed by countryby-country analyses of 17 jurisdictions, encompassing reports on Argentina, Belgium, Canada, China, Germany, Gibraltar, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, the Slovak Republic, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

This edition of the Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business provides ageneral examination of issues vital to the world's economic recovery. In the field ofcompany law, practitioners examine changes in Russia's corporate law and the newUkrainian law governing joint-stock companies. In the area of competition law, lawyersreview Serbia's and Bulgaria's new laws on the protection of competition and theprivate enforcement of Articles 101 and 102 in Europe's national courts.Dispute resolution occupies two chapters, one dealing with best practices for draftingarbitration clauses and the other set aside, recognition, and enforcement of privatecommercial arbitration awards. A further two chapters treat employment and labormatters relating to distribution and commercial representation, indemnity upontermination, and processing personal data in the employment context in Hungary. Inthe area of financial services, practitioners from five jurisdictions deal with fiduciaryduty, the European Commission's proposed Directive on Alternative InvestmentFund Managers, Swiss disclosure rules on significant shareholdings, restructuringand refinancing routes for mortgage-secured debt in Spain, and insurance laws andregulations in Nigeria. Foreign investment is examined by two authors, reporting on2008 and 2009 developments in investment treaty disputes and foreign investmentin Indonesia. Intellectual property issues are reviewed in chapters relating to the useof intellectual property as collateral in secured financing and intellectual propertylicensing in Canada. Finally, lawyers treaty a variety of other issues, including the taxlaw of Liechtenstein, European Union-Israel trade in the automobile sector, insolvencyrisk and creditors' rights in Peru, the modernizing of trust law in Hong Kong andbridging cultural differences in international transactions.

This edition of the Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business provides a general examination of issues vital to the world's economic recovery. In the field of company law, practitioners examine changes in Russia's corporate law and the new Ukrainian law governing joint-stock companies. In the area of competition law, lawyers review Serbia and Bulgaria's new laws on the protection of competition and the private enforcement of Articles 101 and 102 in Europe's national courts. Dispute resolution occupies two chapters, one dealing with best practices for drafting arbitration clauses and the other set aside, recognition, and enforcement of private commercial arbitration awards. A further two chapters treat employment and labor matters relating to distribution and commercial representation, indemnity upon termination, and processing personal data in the employment context of Hungary. In the area of financial services, practitioners from five jurisdictions deal with fiduciary duty, the European Commission's proposed Directive on Alternative Investment Fund Managers, Swiss disclosure rules on significant shareholdings, restructuring and refinancing routes for mortgage-secured debt in Spain, and insurance laws and regulations in Nigeria. Foreign investment is examined by two authors, reporting on 2008 and 2009 developments in investment treaty disputes and foreign investment in Indonesia. Intellectual property issues are reviewed in chapters relating to the use of intellectual property as collateral in secured financing and intellectual property licensing in Canada. Finally, lawyers treaty a variety of other issues, including the tax law of Liechtenstein, European Union-Israel trade in the automobile sector, insolvency risk and creditors' rights in Peru, the modernizing of trust law in Hong Kong and bridging cultural differences in international Transactions.

This special issue of the Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business examines a variety of issues relating to international dispute resolution. National systems such as Brazil, England and Wales, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Slovakia, the United States, are reviewed. The treatment of special issues ranges from document production, discovery, and ethics to public policy, telecommunications contracts, and expatriate employees. Finally, the issue surveys various topics, dealing with matters such as the general principles of law, international rules, international contract law, consolidation and class actions, and enforcement of arbitral awards.

Franchising has long been an integral part of the globalization of business and an important tool in the spread of investment.
In this special issue of the Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business, practitioners who are specialized in franchising -- its potentials as well as its pitfalls -- provide reports on franchising developments in national systems such as:
- Australia,
- Austria,
- Canada,
- Chile,
- China,
- the Czech Republic,
- Denmark,
- France,
Germany,
- Greece,
- India,
- Indonesia,
- Israel,
- Malaysia,
- Mexico,
- Norway,
- Russia,
- Singapore,
- Spain,
- Thailand, and
- Turkey.

With issues such as immigration and globalization triggering social and legislative adjustments in all major legal systems, labor and employment law is particularly susceptible to change. In this special issue of the "Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business", practitioners who are specialized in labor and employment law provide reports on developments in national systems such as Australia, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, and New Zealand and examine selected issues in the Czech Republic (termination of employment), Latvia (transfer of undertakings), the United States (ranging from sexual harassment in the work place and the ability of partners and share holders to sue employers to employee dress code), and Ukraine (hiring and dismissal procedures).

"The Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business", in its 2007 edition, treats two major topic areas: litigation and dispute resolution and banking and finance. The litigation and dispute resolution section examines various issues relating to international arbitration, such as the status of non-signatories, the employment of electronic discovery, the use of expert evidence, and costs. It further surveys the recognition of enforcement of foreign judgments in Italy, developments in litigation in Australia, Anton Pilar Orders and Internet defamation, and Italian conflict-of-law rules.The banking and finance section of the Yearbook examines Austrian capital maintenance rules, bank secrecy in Israel, and broker-dealer and investment banking strategies. Miscellaneous articles deal with Mexico's commercial bankruptcy law, Slovakia's new bankruptcy legislation, trade marks and the Madrid Protocol, trade mark registration in Hong Kong, franchising in Italy, data protection, Spanish antitrust legislation, and cartel enforcement in Australia.

The 2006 edition of the "Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business" examines issues in three major topic categories: Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Investment Vehicles, and Secured Interests in Immovables. Lawyers from Nigeria, the United States, and Ireland review the settlement of investment disputes, the impact of claims on non-United States companies, and claim and dispute resolution under FIDIC. Practitioners from Israel, Panama, Hong Kong, and Belgium treat investment vehicles such as trusts, foundations, and joint ventures and investment visas. Contributors from Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, and Mexico review the use of security in real property in their respective jurisdictions. Finally, lawyers from Brazil, Canada, the United States, Germany, South Africa, Ukraine, and Romania treat issues ranging from trade mark counterfeiting, registered designs, and telecommunications to criminality in international business transactions, outsourcing, and business immigration.

The 2004 volume of the "Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business" contains a wide variety of topics of interest to international commercial lawyers and their clients. Various areas of Company Law are discussed, including mergers and acquisitions, piercing the corporate veil and the financing of share acquisitions. The Yearbook also contains several chapters on investments and securities, including the need for corporate governance in this area, and the role of collective investment schemes in Bermuda. Some chapters deal with the introduction of new technology into the realm of commerce, particularly new legislation relating to e-commerce and the Competition Law issues encountered by the telecommunications industry. The introduction and effects of new legislation generally are also addressed, including the new Ukrainian Commercial Code and Brazilian Civil Code. In addition to discussions on intellectual property, arbitration and asset protection, the Yearbook contains a section on real property rights, including a very interesting comparison between the way in which China and Indonesia view property rights, and the treatment received by such rights in Western society. Various areas of law are also looked at from a European point of view, such as the increase in America-style asbestos litigation in Europe, the hiring out of workers within Europe and the effect of the European Convention on Human Rights upon business. With the ever-increasing introduction of new technology, the expansion of global communications, new attitudes towards business and commerce and increased awareness of personal and property rights, there is a constant need for the law to develop in order to adequately deal with these issues. The yearbook branches out into some of the innovative and topical areas of contemporary law, and should be of great interest to anyone involved in modern-day business.

The 2005 Special Issue of the "Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business" addresses issues relating to security in immovables. Each Chapter contains an overview of the security in immovables laws of a particular country. The laws vary widely among the countries; the word immovable (or real property in Common Law jurisdictions) even has different definitions in different countries. Crossborder transactions involving immovables are integral to international business dealings. This publication provides a general overview of the methods by which immovables are secured in various countries, and each chapter contains details such as the priority granted creditors and openness of the land registers. Each chapter contains a country-specific explanation of the method by which one obtains a mortgage, lien, or similar security, and an exploration of the possible problems that might arise during Such a process. In addition, special attention is given to the obstacles facing non-nationals interested in buying immovables. The book evidences the varied attitudes at governments towards the purchase of immovables by non-nationals. In some countries, such as The Philippines, non-nationals are prohibited from buying land. Other countries, such as the Slovak Republic, allow foreign acquisition of nearly any immovable, only forbidding purchase of items that no private citizen can own, such as the country's rivers. This publication reflects recent developments in security in immovables, especially in Eastern Europe. The chapter on immovables in Ukraine is based on the country's new property laws, passed in 2004. The chapters on the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and Hungary all reflect the changes brought by accession to the European Union. The acquisition of property in a foreign country is an integral facet of international business and practitioners will find this publication's in-depth instructions for the purchase of security in immovables useful as it pertains to individual countries. In addition to showing practitioners how transactions work for individual countries, readers will be able to compare diverse legal regimes to find the one most favorable for their particular business transactions.

This year's volume of the "Comparative Law Yearbook of International Business" deals with the subject of Product Liability Law. This is a growing area, in which, manufacturers and suppliers are finding themselves more and more responsible for the quality of their products and for the consequences flowing from any defect therein. This book discusses a wide variety of topics, which come under the umbrella of product liability, ranging from liability for injuries caused by the use of asbestos and other toxic substances to the responsibility of air carriers in hijack situations. There is a growing amount of litigation throughout the world tackling the problems arising from the safety of products. These laws take into account the manufacturing process, the transportation, storage and delivery of goods, the intended use of products, their fitness for such purpose, and any warnings or instructions as to use given to consumers and end users. This publication also covers the question of jurisdiction in product-related litigation, particularly in crossborder transactions. In many instances, a plaintiff will attempt to bring his action in the United States, due to the large amount of damages, especially punitive damages, awarded there by juries in civil actions. Defendants, on the other hand, seek to counter this by raising issues such forum non conveniens. There also is the question of state versus federal jurisdiction within the United States, as well as a discussion focusing on the possible growth of federalism within the European Union and its impact upon product liability nationally and at a European level. A comparison of the divergent cultural attitudes towards property in China and the United States, including the different emphases placed upon the ownership and role of property in society, demonstrates the different views of product liability. Another aspect of defective goods dealt with here is liability for the recall of a dangerous product. There is a chain of responsibility stretching from the manufacturer, trough various levels of suppliers, to the final retailer of goods, which is obviously important when attempting to remove dangerous products from the market as quickly as possible, before they can cause widespread injury to consumers. This has been shown to be particularly relevant in cases involving automobiles and food products. Overall, therefore, Product Liability Law is a vital part of the general law protecting consumers, both on a national and international basis, which makes this book a very interesting and useful read for anyone involved in this area.