Non-contractual liability, stemming from damage accountably caused to another, has been the subject of the PETL and DCFR VI European reform initiatives. Gert Bruggemeier, however, proposes alternative reforms which, instead of trying to overcome the differences between civil law (delict) and common law (torts), are restricted to civil liability. The focus is on the grounds of accountability, and stricter forms of liability are at the fore. Quasi-strict enterprise liability is introduced to fill the lacuna between personal fault and forms of strict liability. A commentary is included on recent legislation on civil liability in China, Brazil and Russia to demonstrate how these large countries try to come to grips with the challenges of 'risk society'.

Non-contractual liability, stemming from damage accountably caused to another, has been the subject of the PETL and DCFR VI European reform initiatives. Gert Bruggemeier, however, proposes alternative reforms which, instead of trying to overcome the differences between civil law (delict) and common law (torts), are restricted to civil liability. The focus is on the grounds of accountability, and stricter forms of liability are at the fore. Quasi-strict enterprise liability is introduced to fill the lacuna between personal fault and forms of strict liability. A commentary is included on recent legislation on civil liability in China, Brazil and Russia to demonstrate how these large countries try to come to grips with the challenges of 'risk society'.

This volume provides a comprehensive analysis of civil liability for invasion of personality interests in Europe. It is the final product of the collaboration of twenty-seven scholars and includes case studies of fourteen European jurisdictions, as well as an introductory chapter written from a US perspective. The case studies focus in particular on the legal protection of honour and reputation, privacy, self-determination and image. This volume aims to detect hidden similarities (the 'common core') in the actual legal treatment accorded by different European countries to personal interests which in some of these countries qualify as 'personality rights', and also to detect hidden disparities in the 'law in action' of countries whose 'law in the books' seem to protect one and the same personality interest in the same way.

Die historisch gewachsenen nationalen Haftungsrechte in der EU stehen vor einer unbewaltigten doppelten Herausforderung: Zum einen die Anpassung an die (post)industrielle Moderne (Stichworte: Risiken, Versicherung, Unternehmenshaftung); zum anderen die Harmonisierung in dem gemeinsamen Binnenmarkt der EG und in dem Verfassungsraum der EU. Der Verfasser misstraut allfalligen Kodifikations- und Vereinheitlichungsinitiativen. Er setzt auf die Annaherung "von unten," d. h. uber die vorfindlichen Rechtsordnungen der Mitgliedstaaten. Dies setzt einen europaischen Diskurs uber Struktur, Prinzipien und Schutzbereich voraus. Hierzu leistet der Verfasser fur das Haftungsrecht einen Beitrag. In kritischer Auseinandersetzung mit dem deutschen Recht und mit vergleichendem Blick auf das englische und amerikanische sowie das franzosische Recht arbeitet er Entwicklungsperspektiven fur ein europaisches Haftungsrecht heraus."