Author Katharina Boele-Woelki reports on her many years of teaching comparative law. This volume is addressed to (young) academics teaching comparative law and to all those interested in the questions of what, when, who, why and how. Three aspects need to be considered. In terms of the subject matter, the challenge is to focus either on the history and use of comparative law, on introductions to different legal systems, on teaching a particular area of law from a comparative perspective, or o...

With an ageing population, the number of people with dementia is expected to increase in the coming decades. Dementia can seriously impair a person’s ability to act and decide. In the Netherlands, adults can provide for such a future period of incapacity through a so-called levenstestament. A levenstestament can include the appointment of an attorney for financial, medical and/or personal matters, but also the adult’s wishes, preferences and instructions regarding these matters. Over the ...

The growing call for ecologically responsible consumer choices, driven by greater awareness of the environmental and social consequences, is impacting consumer rights. This study explores the rights of consumers amid the mobility transition from ownership to usership within the circular economy. By means of an analysis of specific EU directives and their implementation in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France, this study analyses whether, and to what extent, the protection of consumer...

In a growing number of countries, inquiries into past intercountry adoptions take place that identify systemic abuses and irregularities and conclude that adoption stakeholders encouraged or facilitated illegal intercountry adoptions. However, so far, the response from these stakeholders has been inadequate in addressing the profound human rights violations endured by those affected by illegal adoptions. Despite the growing movement of adoptees advocating for justice on behalf of themselves a...

Procedural agreements hold the potential to effectively customise and expedite civil proceedings. However, their impact on access to justice, particularly for weaker litigants, and the potential erosion of the court’s role raise significant concerns. Despite the growing acceptance of procedural contracts, it is still unclear how courts should interpret and when they should enforce these agreements. This book delves into the critical examination of choice-of-court, evidentiary, costs, appeal...