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European Family Law (Prof. Dr. W. Pintens, K.U.Leuven)

This course deals with basic questions on the harmonisation of family law, analyses the current state of spontaneous harmonisation and institutional unification and discusses future possibilities for such harmonisation and unification and the methodology to be used. The course illustrates that also in more cultural related matters a ius commune is emerging and that further harmonisation of family law is needed in order to realise a true free movement of persons and that this harmonisation will reinforce the European identity as well as an efficient uniform area of law. The course is taught on the basis of judgments of the Court of Justice (compared with cases of the European Court of Human Rights) and of the Supreme Courts of Justice of France, Germany and Great Britain and will focus on the activities of the Commission on European Family Law.

Contents

1. Family Law and culture (2 h)

2. Family Law and comparitive law (2 h)

3. Methodological questions (common core and better law approach) (2 h)

4. Harmonisation and unification

4.1. The Nordic example (1 h)

4.2. To harmonisation or unification of substantive family law in the EC? Comparison with the Council of Europe (1 h)

4.3. The Commission on European Family Law (4 h)

5. Areas of application

5.1. Civil status (2 h)

5.2. Personality rights (2 h)

5.3. Legal matrimonial regimes (community systems, deferred community systems, White v. White, Lambert v. Lambert) (4 h)

5.4. Divorce (2 h)

5.5. Maintenance (2 h)

5.6. Registered partnership and opening of marriage (2 h)

Materials: W. PINTENS, “Grundgedanken und Perspektiven einer Europäisierung des Familien- und Erbrechts”, Zeitschrift für das gesamte Familienrecht 2003, 331 e.v.; W. PINTENS, “Europeanisation of Family Law”, in K. BOELE-WOELKI (Ed.), Harmonisation and Unification of Family Law in Europe, Antwerpen, Intersentia, 2003; W. PINTENS en J. DU MONGH, “Family and Succession Law in the European Union”, in W. PINTENS (Ed.), Family and Succession Law, in R. BLANPAIN (Ed.), International Encyclopaedia of Laws, Deventer/Boston, Kluwer Law International, 1997; W. PINTENS en K. VANWINCKELEN, Casebook European Family Law, Leuven, Universitaire Pers, 2001.

Permanent evaluation. If there are more than 25 students there will be a written examination. The exam can be written in French, English, Dutch or German and lasts 3 hours.

Question examples:

1. Should fault play a role in divorce and maintenance between former spouses?

2. Make a summary of the case of Ünal Tekeli v. Turkey. Make a critical analysis of this case and compare with other cases of the Court of Justice and of the European Court for Human Rights, which we discussed in class.