Latest blog articles

  • On power asymmetries between national parliaments in the EU

    From the beginning of the European project, the concept of dual representative democracy in the EU has never been homogeneous for all Member States. The line of democratic representation that is provided by the European Parliament is arguably.

    Nguyen, Hoai-Thu Book European and national parliaments
  • On awkward membership: dealing with awkwardness: some positive signals

    There is wide agreement that the EU has not been effective in dealing with what I would define here as values’ awkwardness, cases in which EU Member States threaten the rule of law and the other common values of the European project. The obvious reference is in this respect to Hungary and Poland...

    Protection_no suspect interrogation without a lawyer
  • Myth: All lawyers are just profiteers

    Flashy guys who work on the Zuidas, live in luxury penthouses and tear around in the latest Teslas and Jaguars – and all at the expense of ‘the ordinary man’ who they laughingly charge exorbitant hourly rates. This image of lawyers appears to be fairly persistent. But it has very little to do with...

    onderbetaling sociale advocaten
  • Myth: a religious marriage is merely symbolic

    When a marriage no longer works, you break up. Divorce proceedings are started and if all goes well, both partners can go on to live their own lives. At least, that is how it works with a civil marriage. What kind of problems do women encounter in a religious divorce?

    Religious marriage and Religious Divorce
  • Plant variety rights and patent: which way to go?

    Innovation is stimulated by a well designed regulatory framework as well as a balanced and effective Intellectual Property (IP) protection. IP protection gives the innovator an exclusive right on his innovation and allows a fair sustained return for his investment. In agricultural industry, plant...

    Plants and seeds - blog conference
  • Contextualizing Brexit

    The European Union (EU) faces challenges after the results of the United Kingdom (UK) European Union membership referendum that was held on June 23, 2016. Yet, Brexit is not the first challenge faced by the EU. Three points invite for reflection on Brexit and the future of the EU.

    Europa toekomst_MLR
  • The unlawfulness of the Syria strikes

    In response to the (alleged) use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime in the city of Douma, the United Kingdom, United States, and France carried out a number of missile strikes against several government facilities. These strikes clearly violate basic rules of international law.

    Unlawfull gas attack blog on Law Blogs Maastricht
  • Dean’s blog episode 7: how visible is legal academia?

    Many things go well in Dutch legal academia. However, there is a need for legal academics to be more visible to the outside world. They should show why law must have a central place in the big research themes of today.

    Hoe zichtbaar is de rechtswetenschap, lezing Jan Smits
  • The proliferation of game clone in China versus copyright law

    “Game clone” means two kinds of act: one is the act of game piracy, where the second game is a reproduction or abridgement of earlier games. Another act is that of creating games where second game contains similar elements as compared to earlier games.

    Chinese game clone example nr 2
  • How path dependency affects the ongoing Brexit negotiations

    Now that the UK is ejecting itself from the confines of the EU what interest would they have to keep the principle of good faith within their legislations? And perhaps more interestingly, what incentive – if any – does the British politicians and negotiators have to negotiate their exit in a fair...

    Brexit versus European Union_awkward partner_image of a bull