An expanded and updated edition of the 2002 book that has become required reading for policymakers, students, and active citizens.

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The world has witnessed extraordinary economic growth, poverty reduction and increased life expectancy and population since the end of WWII, but it has occurred at the expense of undermining life support systems on Earth and subjecting future generations to the real risk of destabilising the planet. This timely book exposes and explores this colossal environmental cost and the dangerous position the world is now in. Standing up for a Sustainable World is written by and about key individuals who have not only understood the threats to our planet, but also become witness to them and confronted them.

During the last decade Europe has undertaken an active and broad process of harmonisation of choice-of-law rules within the EU. However, this drastic movement towards a harmonised system has so far left aside a highly relevant issue: the application by judicial and non-judicial authorities of the foreign law. In full contrast to the little attention so far paid to it in the EU, this issue is said to be the crux of the conflict of laws. It violates legal certainty and contradicts the objective of ensuring full access to justice to all European citizens within the EU. This book provides a comparative study of the existing situation in all EU member states and drafts some basic principles for a future European instrument. It will become a highly useful tool for lawyers, judges, notaries, land registries, academics, prosecutors etc.