Francesco Seatzu

This volume explores, from an international law perspective, the various facets of the notion of accountability of International Financial Institutions. In particular, the book takes prospective and retrospective approaches to accountability; the legal constraints on IFIs towards all stakeholders; the benefits IFIs can achieve for themselves from their financial accountability; the ’soft law’ instruments that are adequate for ensuring IFIs accountability with regard to their activities; and the (positive and negative) effects of accountability on civil society and local indigenous populations. By providing a range of contributions on these aspects of the problem of accountability of IFIs the book provides readers with an overview of the issue at stake in a wide range of international institutions and assesses the current state of such issue under the lens of international law. The work has been arranged under three broad themes: accountability issues in multilateral development institutions; accountability issues in regional development institutions; accountability issues in climate finance institutions, the GEF and in Global Financial Markets.

In 2011 the European Social Charter, the first human rights treaty entirely devoted to economic, social and cultural rights celebrated its 50th anniversary. Since its inception, the instrument has undergone several fundamental changes, including a substantial revision in 1996 and the enactment of an additional Protocol on collective complaints in 1998. The developments have unleashed the most sophisticated mechanism to ensure the justiciability of economic and social rights in Europe. The European Committee of Social Rights established in the Charter, monitors and determines whether Member States conform to domestic law and whether their practice complies with the provisions of the Charter. The Committee examines a significant number of cases, and makes conclusions and decisions based on national reports and collective complaints. This book provides an overview of the institutional characteristics and functioning of the European Committee of Social Rights in light of its practice. The book examines the Committee’s practice and interpretation of the substantive rights and freedoms set out in the Charter and its Protocol, as well as in the Revised Social Charter. The book evaluates the working methods of the European Committee and how it makes its assessments concerning the compatibility of domestic legislation and practice with the Charter rights. The European Committee of Social Rights is compared to other human rights instruments and institutions around the world as well as any interactions with these mechanisms in order to assess the impact and effectiveness of the European Committee of Social Rights. The book will be of interest to scholars and students of human rights law as well as socio-economic rights practitioners, and the judiciary.

In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This historic document constituted a transformative 'plan for action for people, planet and prosperity' with regards to the sustainable development efforts of all countries. The Sustainable Development Goals serves as an expert compendium, the most authoritative ready-reference tool for anyone interested in the SDGs. Each chapter comprises a detailed target-by-target analysis of one of the SDGs, including a methodical analysis of the preparatory proceedings that shaped each goal in its present form, an exhaustive examination of their content, and a critical assessment from an international law perspective. This commentary provides readers with the most up-to-date information on normative and legal questions arising from the incorporation of the SDGs into the international economic, social, and environmental legal frameworks, and on their implementation status. Scholars, practitioners, and those interested in the fields of law, politics, development, economics, environmental studies, and global governance will find this book a must-read.

The book concerns the study and analysis of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights from an international legal perspective, taking into consideration the adoption of the 2008 Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The volume provides a detailed account of the structure and functioning of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the light of its jurisprudence, through a study of the Committee’s procedures and practices (periodic reports and general comments), including taking into account the Optional Protocol for individual complaint procedure. The book considers the possible implications of the work of this Committee on other UN Committees, such as the Human Rights Committee and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as considering the repercussions of its work on the international protection of fundamental rights, such as the right to education, to health and adequate food. The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will be of particular interest to academics and students of International and Human Rights law.

The book concerns the study and analysis of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights from an international legal perspective, taking into consideration the adoption of the 2008 Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The volume provides a detailed account of the structure and functioning of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the light of its jurisprudence, through a study of the Committee’s procedures and practices (periodic reports and general comments), including taking into account the Optional Protocol for individual complaint procedure. The book considers the possible implications of the work of this Committee on other UN Committees, such as the Human Rights Committee and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, as well as considering the repercussions of its work on the international protection of fundamental rights, such as the right to education, to health and adequate food. The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will be of particular interest to academics and students of International and Human Rights law.

This book provides a much-needed analysis of this very important subject for international business lawyers,including discussion of the jurisdictional and choice of laws issues arising from cross-border contracts of insurance and reinsurance concluded by electronic means. This book is the first published in England to devote itself to a detailed analysis of the choice of laws rules in the E. C. Insurance Directives. It is aimed at academics and practitioners, at private international lawyers and at insurance lawyers. The private international law rules of the E. C. Insurance Directives deal with the applicable law to insurance contracts covering risks situated within the EU. They do not deal with the applicable law to reinsurance contracts and insurance contracts covering risks situated outside the EU. This should be ascertained by reference to the choice of laws provisions in the 1980 Rome Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations. Detailed discussion of these rules is also provided, and proposals for reform suggested.