With its legacy as the centre of one of the greatest empires of modern history, Austriaè^--s legal system has for long been enormously influential worldwide. A European Union Member State since 1995, Austria continues to enjoy its role as a major centre of international business and tourism. Austria has also become host to numerous international organisations.

The book provides an introduction to European law on direct taxation. It includes an overview of the sources of European law, the impact of the fundamental freedoms on direct taxation and the relevance of the European state aid provisions in tax matters. Further, it analyses all relevant directives in the field of direct taxation, namely the Parent-Subsidiary Directive, the Merger Directive, the Interest and Royalty Directive, looks at mutual assistance, as well as the EU Arbitration Convention. This edition has some structural changes, primarily made to adapt the analysis of European tax integration to the application of the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights in tax matters and the development of global tax competition. The latter phenomenon is being targeted by the BEPS and Tax Transparency projects in a suptranational framework that coordinates the exercise of national taxing rights around the globe and which also has significant repercussions for European tax integration.

This book presents a broad range of aspects of Austrian law and legal culture for the purpose of comparison with other legal systems. In its second revised and enlarged edition it treats the following subjects: Political history the Constitution Sources and interpretation of law The political system Austria and the European Union Legal education and legal professions the courts Administrative adjudication Constitutional review Fundamental rights Criminal procedure Civil procedure The Austrian civil code Private law Labour law Civil law tradition These characteristic features have been selected in order to acquaint the foreign observer with some of the defining elements of Austrian law and legal development. Austrian students and practitioners, too, may find this approach helpful when it comes to explaining their law to others.

The original contributions to the Research Handbook provide an introduction to the application of Austrian economics to law. The book begins with chapters on the methodology of law and economics. Further chapters discuss key concepts in Austrian economics – dynamic competitive processes, spontaneous order, subjective value, entrepreneurship, and the limited nature of individual knowledge – as they relate to topics in evolutionary law (social rules, self-governance, dispute resolution) and basic law (torts, antitrust, civil procedure, business and family law).