European Real Estate


Book Description

This book provides a thorough overview of the European real estate Market. It evaluates the performance difference between countries and sectors, and what implications this has for optimal investment strategy within real estate asset classes.




Contexts of Property in Europe


Book Description

The essays in this book tap the potential of the historical analysis of social contexts in which property rights are embedded - social relations, power and agency, political institutions, culture - to understand how landed resources are actually appropriated. This exploratory approach seeks both to take advantage of the existing theory of property rights, as it is applied by the institutionalist outlook on economic history, and to go beyond it by explicitly incorporating social processes and factors in the analysis of property institutions. With this common aim in mind, the book covers a wide variety of historical cases throughout space and time, from the late Middle Ages in the Czech lands and in Tuscany to the very recent de-collectivisation of the countryside in former socialist countries, which will contribute rich and grounded insights to the discussion of the topic and of its implications.




Robbery and Restitution


Book Description

The robbery and restitution of Jewish property are two inextricably linked social processes. It is not possible to understand the lawsuits and international agreements on the restoration of Jewish property of the late 1990s without examining what was robbed and by whom. In this volume distinguished historians first outline the mechanisms and scope of the European-wide program of plunder and then assess the effectiveness and historical implications of post-war restitution efforts. Everywhere the solution of legal and material problems was intertwined with changing national myths about the war and conflicting interpretations of justice. Even those countries that pursued extensive restitution programs using rigorous legal means were unable to compensate or fully comprehend the scale of Jewish loss. Especially in Eastern Europe, it was not until the collapse of communism that the concept of restoring some Jewish property rights even became a viable option. Integrating the abundance of new research on the material effects of the Holocaust and its aftermath, this comparative perspective examines the developments in Germany, Poland, Italy, France, Belgium, Hungary and the Czech Republic.




The EU Regulations on the Property Regimes of International Couples


Book Description

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.




Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in the EU Member States


Book Description

Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in the EU Member States provides a timely overview and thorough analysis of intellectual property rights enforcement in the EU Member States. Taking legal action in one or several countries in the EU to enforce intellectual property rights is quite a challenge. The adoption of European Directive 2004/48/EC on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights was meant to put a halt to considerable discrepancies in national legislations which caused uncertainty and a difference in enforcement between the EU Member States. The Enforcement Directive aimed to create a level playing field and to ensure a high, equivalent and homogeneous level of intellectual property protection across the EU.Over the past decade, the Enforcement Directive has been transposed into all EU Member States, in national legislation and through its application in national and EU case law. Both are essential to understand the Enforcement Directive's actual scope of application. In order to prepare and undertake an action in different countries potentially simultaneously knowledge of national legislation, local custom and practice, as well as procedural law, national and EU case law is essential.This book is a collaborative effort of lawyers from top tier firms from all 28 EU Member States. It is a valuable resource for both practitioners who are active cross-border and internationally and general counsel who seek an in-depth analysis of the legal landscape across the EU.




Social Housing in Europe


Book Description

All countries aim to improve housing conditions for their citizens but many have been forced by the financial crisis to reduce government expenditure. Social housing is at the crux of this tension. Policy-makers, practitioners and academics want to know how other systems work and are looking for something written in clear English, where there is a depth of understanding of the literature in other languages and direct contributions from country experts across the continent. Social Housing in Europe combines a comparative overview of European social housing written by scholars with in-depth chapters written by international housing experts. The countries covered include Austria, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, The Netherlands and Sweden, with a further chapter devoted to CEE countries other than Hungary. The book provides an up-to-date international comparison of social housing policy and practice. It offers an analysis of how the social housing system currently works in each country, supported by relevant statistics. It identifies European trends in the sector, and opportunities for innovation and improvement. These country-specific chapters are accompanied by topical thematic chapters dealing with subjects such as the role of social housing in urban regeneration, the privatisation of social housing, financing models, and the impact of European Union state aid regulations on the definitions and financing of social housing.




The Interaction of Contract Law and Tort and Property Law in Europe


Book Description

Against the background of the creation of an EU-wide frame of reference for private law relevant to the Common Market, this study, which was requested by the EU Commission, analyses the dovetailing between contract and tort law on the one hand, and between contract and property law on the other. The study examines the legal orders of almost all the Member States of the EU, illustrates the differences between contractual and non-contractual liability and evaluates the different systems of the transfer of property, of movable and immovable securities as well as trust law. The study comes to the conclusion that the intensive considerations on the creation of a model-law in the area of European private law do not allow these thoughts to be limited to contract law. Such a limitation to the scope of the regarding of this area would probably cause more problems than it would solve, or at any rate not do justice to the needs of the Common Market.




Understanding EU Law


Book Description

This unique book is not an introduction to European Law. It provides an understanding of methodology, objectives and principles of EU law. It tries to explain its legal peculiarities, particularly with regard to the concept of internal market. It takes as starting point its liberal roots enshrined in the free movement, competition and autonomy provisions, but focuses equally on the development of countervailing principles about citizenship, adequate standards, and governance. It refers selectively to important secondary law, in particular directives, and to leading cases of the European Court of Justice. It is directed at all law scholars, students, practitioners, political scientists, in the old and new Member countries of the EU as well as third countries who want to understand what EU law is all about. It will allow the reader a first orientation, without suffocating him or her in too much detail.




Real Estate Investment Trusts In Europe


Book Description

It is well known that investments in real estate provide relatively stable yields compared with stock market volatility, so it is not surprising that, with globalisation, investors have pursued such opportunities across borders, especially where foreign countries offer beneficial tax regimes. Nor it is surprising that states should fear erosion of their tax base in the presence of such investments. This groundbreaking book – the first in-depth comparative analysis of taxation of real estate investment trusts (REITs) in different European Union (EU) Member States – investigates the impact of EU law on direct taxation in the case of REITs, and whether EU policies in this area have led national legislators to adjust their REIT regimes. Presenting detailed case studies of three EU Member States – France (a well-established REIT regime), Bulgaria (a new accession state) and Spain (a recent REIT regime) – this book explores the idea of a harmonised EU REIT, and whether harmonisation among national REIT regimes may be possible. Among the issues and topics arising in the course of the presentation are the following: – ‘goodness of fit’ and adaptational soft pressure; – relevant case law from the European Court of Justice, including both tax and company law; – ‘REIT shopping’; – noncompliance of REIT regimes with EU law; and – criteria for the ‘misfit’ analysis of REIT regimes and potential infringements of EU law. The analysis ultimately documents conditions and circumstances for the creation of a harmonised ‘Euro-REIT’ by assessing the level of change on the area of direct taxation within the Member States which would be needed for such a creation to become reality, identifying common themes across different legal systems that could assist the harmonisation of laws. Throughout, a holistic view is taken, linking tax and company law with considerations of sovereignty, policy and culture. In its structured framework comparing REIT regimes, this incomparable study takes a giant step towards overcoming resistance to a common REIT taxation regime in the EU. As the first comparative study of REIT regimes to identify an emerging common understanding informed by European jurisprudence and Europeanisation policy and theory, it is sure to be welcomed by practitioners, academics and policymakers in European law and international taxation as well as European studies.




Cambridge Handbook of Intellectual Property in Central and Eastern Europe


Book Description

Intellectual property law faces serious challenges worldwide, with many in the international community arguing that the law fails to provide much-needed support for either individual rights or the public interest in the technological environment. The Cambridge Handbook of Intellectual Property in Central and Eastern Europe offers a novel look at intellectual property issues through the lens of the post-socialist and transitional experience in Central and Eastern European countries. Contributors include both recognized and emerging leaders in their jurisdictions of interest, and experts on US, European Union, and international law. Taken together, they offer a thought-provoking critique of current approaches and build a compelling case for cogent policymaking. This important work reflects the formative experiences of a difficult history, demonstrating the courageous optimism of scholars in a region that has repeatedly overcome the challenges of the past, while consistently looking to its authors and innovators for leadership and inspiration.