There can be no doubt that both substantive family and succession law engage in significant interaction with private international law, and, in particular, the European Union instruments in the field. While it is to be expected that substantive law heavily influences private international law instruments, it is increasingly evident that this influence can also be exerted in the reverse direction. Given that the European Union has no legislative competence in the fields of family and succession law beyond cross-border issues, this influence is indirect and, as a consequence of this indirect nature, difficult to trace.This book brings together a range of views on the reciprocal influences of substantive and private international law in the fields of family and succession law. It outlines some key elements of this interplay in selected jurisdictions and provides a basis for discussion and future work on the reciprocal influences of domestic and European law. It is essential that the choices for and within certain European instruments are made consciously and knowingly. This book therefore aims to raise awareness that these reciprocal influences exist, to stimulate academic debate and to facilitate a more open debate between European institutions and national stakeholders.

"This book examines the divorce aspects of the Brussels II bis Regulation (Regulation 2201/2003). It gives detailed consideration to the new jurisdictional rules and to the likely interpretation of the core jurisdictional concept of 'habitual residence'. The scope of the Regulation is analyzed, and particular attention is given to its possible application to civil partnerships and same-sex marriages. The book also analyzes the Regulation's impact on ancillary relief matters and its interaction with related measures of Community and national law in that context. The new recognition procedures are considered in detail, as are the defences to recognition, and the wider consequences of automatic recognition are assessed. The book provides in-depth coverage of relevant case-law of the national and Community courts, and particular attention is given to the likely impact of the cases decided under the 1968 Brussels Convention and under Regulation 44/2001 (including the Owusu case)"--

Examining the impact, both actual and potential, of human rights concerns on private international law as well as the oft overlooked topic of the impact of private international law on human rights, this work represents an invaluable resource for all those working or conducting research in these areas. Human Rights and Private International Law is the first title to consider and analyse the numerous English private international law cases discussing human rights concerns arising in the commercial law context, alongside high profile cases dealing with torture (Jones v. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and same sex marriage (Wilkinson v Kitzinger).The right to a fair trial is central to the intersection between human rights and private international law, and is considered in depth along with the right to freedom of expression; the right to respect for private and family life; the right to marry; the right to property; and the prohibition of discrimination on the ground of religion, sex, or nationality. Focussing on, though not confined to, the human rights set out in the ECHR, the work also examines the rights laid down under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and other international human rights instruments.