Suchergebnisse

In the Canadian discussion, the EU model ('Social Europe') has inspired a range of proposals for restructuring Canada. The article gives an introduction to 'where the social dimension and social policy are at' in the EU. Then the political relevance of the EU experience for Canada is explored whether this be for a Québécois independence perspective or for a Canadian interprovincial-compact as outlined in 1996 by Thomas Courchene. Finally, I shall conclude with some remarks on 'globalization and the welfare state' - a powerfully related issue, wherein welfare states can turn out to be foundations for both opening up and thence ensuring the openness of western economies for 'embedded liberalism' - as well as for 're-embedding liberalism' - as against being perceived purely as the inevitable victims of an unstoppable 'march of [the forces of] globalization' (Thomas Courchene), as has been most often envisioned.

Abstract. The Community's harmonization efforts were at first aimed at attaining full harmonization in certain fields, whereby Community legislation would eventually completely replace national legislation in specific areas. However, under the direct influence of the Cassis de Dijon case law of the Court of Justice, the harmonization approach of the Community authorities evolved from a full to a minimal one. This case law has indeed made it possible to achieve the goal of a single market essentially by harmonizing national rules only insofar as necessary for the protection of essential interests and by the enforcement of mutual recognition of all other national rules.
Community harmonization measures not only impose obligations on the Member States but may also directly affect the position of individuals within the Member States. Thus, regulations which intend to create rights for individuals may be directly invoked before the national courts of the Member States. Whereas directives normally lack direct effect, except under certain circumstances, the courts of the Member States are under an obligation to interpret national law as much as possible in a directive conform way.
Résumé. Les efforts d'harmonisation de la Communauté visaient tout d'abord à obtenir une harmonisation complète dans certains domaines: la législation communautaire remplacerait complètement la législation nationale dans des domaines spécifiques. Cependant, sous l'influence directe de la jurisprudence de l'arret Cassis de Dijon de la Cour de Justice, l'approche adoptée par les autorités communautaires a évolué d'une harmonisation complète vers une harmonisation minimale. Cette jurisprudence permet, en effet, d'atteindre le but du marché unique essentiellement en n'harmonisant les règles nationales que dans la mesure nécessaire pour la protection d'intérêts essentiels, et en reconnaissant mutuellement tous les autres règles nationales.
Les mesures communautaires d'harmonisation imposent non seulement des obligations aux Etats membres, mais elles peuvent également affecter directement la position des personnes privées dans les Etats membres. Ainsi, les règlements qui visent à créer des droits pour les individus peuvent être invoqués directement devant les tribunaux nationaux des Etats membres. Là où les directives n'ont normalement pas d'effet direct, sauf sous certaines conditions, les tribunaux des Etats membres sont obligés d'interpréter les lois nationales dans un domaine spécifique le plus conformément possible aux dispositions des directives adoptées dans ce domaine.