ROME II EVENTS

A coherent legal regime for EU media - balancing liberties.

The right to be left alone v. freedom of speech (October 2006)

This event gathered experts, academics and Members of the European Parliament to discuss the current legal regime for EU media and explore possible options for the future, in particular with regard to the issue of applicable law. This seminar was set against the background of the Commission's rejection of Parliament's first reading formulation on defamation and the withdrawal of these provisions from the draft Regulation. The second reading of Rome II scheduled for the end of 2006 also coincides with the discussions on Television without Frontiers and the review of Brussels I and the E-commerce Directive.

Read the programme .

Speakers' papers:

• 'European Private International Law and the media: relationship between existing instruments', by PY Andrau .

• 'Freedom of speech, conflict of laws and the country of origin principle', by Professor H. Muir Watts.

• 'Jurisdiction issues', by Professor P. Beaumont.

• 'Applicable law to the violation of personality rights - a quest for reasonableness?', by I. Christie.

• 'Regulating the mdeai: what role for the EU?', by C. Banatvala.

Rome II - an international perspective (14 March 2005)

In the context of a Legal Affairs meeting, Diana Wallis has hosted on 14 March 2005 an internal working group entitled 'Rome II - an International Perspective'. This seminar brought together experts in private international law who reacted to the November draft report on Rome II.

Speakers' Papers:

• 'The proposed Rome II Regulation and the US experience in Tort Choice of Law' by P. Borchers.

• 'Rome II: comments from a Canadian Perspective', by H.P. Glenn.

• 'Tort Conflicts and Rome II: a view from accross', by S.C. Symeonides.

• 'Tort Conflicts and Rome II: Impromptu Notes on the Rapporteur's Draft', by S.C. Symeonides.

• 'Choice of law in tort within the internal market: do the economics of the internal market call for the application of the law of the country of origin?', by H.M. Watt.

• 'Discretion vs Strict Rules in the field of Cross Border Torts', by R.J. Weintraub.