Review: This article examines the key measures of the project of building the Capital Markets Union (CMU), introduced in form of legislative proposals of the European Commission in accordance with provision of the Strategy on building CMU of 2015 and Midterm Review of 2017. The European Union is determined to reform the current regulatory acts in the sphere of financial services and introduce a number of new ones for regulating the areas that have not previously been the subject of attention for a European legislator. The author reviews the relevant reforms of the European Union that touch upon the Prospectus Directive, activity of insurance and investment companies, and financial instruments market. The author concludes that the important project of CMU aimed at realization of one of the key freedoms of domestic market – freedom of capital flow, is yet to be completed. Due to the dynamic development of financial markets in the European Union, substantiated particularly by the advancement of modern technologies, the implementation of the project of CMU attains a long-term character.  

Keywords: financial law, Domestic market, capital, capital markets, financial integration, European Union Law, European Union, insurance, reforms, European Commission

Review: The organizational-legal forms the EU financial sector regulation are of paramount importance for the successful development not only in the indicated sphere, but the integration overall. The financial market reforms in the European Union lingered for over a decade, and was conducted gradually in accordance with the Lamfalussy, and followed by Larosière proposals that, in turn, became a challenge for testing in crisis circumstances the flexible legal mechanism, which framework was established in the previous decades. This article also touches upon the pivotal aspects of decision-making process in this field. The research methodology contains the general and specific scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, systemic approach, and historical method. The author underlines that the legal regulation mechanism of the EU financial sector during the implementation of Lamfalissy Plan was characterized with inclination towards the national regulation, while the established structures were oriented towards the creation of the single market for financial services in favorable conditions. The global economic crisis enhanced the tendency to strengthening the supranational control over the financial sector. The reform of Jacques de Larosière, conducted in the crises circumstances, was aimed at enlarging the role of the bodies of the European Union of the second and third pillar. It is concluded that the legal regulation of EU market for financial services is undergoing improvements. The flexibility of the current legal mechanism allows to find new development vectors in the conditions of multispeed integration, as well as overcome negative consequences of crisis events caused by the external factors.

Keywords: financial law, economic integration, financial sphere, securities market, financial services, European Union, international finance, financial policy, European law, legal regulation

Review: The subject of this research is the analysis of the regulations of the Chapter 2, Article 13 of the adopted in 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction pertinent to taking into account child’s opinion in judicial consideration of the question on child’s return to the country of habitual residence. The object of this research is the relations established in the context of settling cross-border disputes on protection of custody and visitation rights. The author underlines the flaws in regulations that determine child’s opinion. Special attention is given to the position of the European Court on Human Rights, courts of Russia and Italy. The article formulates recommendations on improving legislation of the Russian Federation aimed at implementation of norms of the Convention. The main research objective lies in the analysis of the legal, theoretical and practical aspects of determining and consideration of child’s opinion, who has been unlawfully relocated to another county and retained therein. The scientific novelty consists in comprehensive examination of the regulations of Chapter 2, Article 13 of 1980 the Convention, known for the ambiguous approaches towards interpretation and application: the terms “child’s objection”, “child’s opinion” and “child’s consent” are not identical, which needs to be reflected in the Russian legislation; child’s opinion should be taken into account at the stage of judicial consideration, as well as enforcement of court decision pertinent to return of a child to the country of habitual residence; establishment of minimum age of 7 years old, upon attainment of which the courts are obligate to find out child’s opinion in settling cross-border disputes based on regulations of the 1980 Convention.

Keywords: European Court, The Hague Convention, child's interests, international child abduction, wrongful child's removal, wrongful child's retention, reject child's return, return of abducted child, child's opinion, child's age

Review: The subject of this research is the unification of EU legislation with regards to protection of geographical indications and designation of origin of products due to increasing economic importance of these objects of intellectual property. Special attention is given to the analysis of basic policy of the Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union of November 21, 2012 No. ¹ 1151/2012 “On quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs”, as well as to examination of the initiatives on further harmonization of legal regulation at the EU level. The author applies the comparative law method for contrasting the legal framework of EU and EAEU. The scientific novelty is defined by the fact that legal protection of geographical indications and designation of origin of products in the European Union is viewed from the perspective of establishment of the Digital Single Market and advancement of electronic trading platform. The comparison of these intellectual property objects with trademarks allowed determining not only the significance of protecting economic interests, but also public interests. The author concludes that at the regional level the European Union has created the legal framework for effective protection of geographical origin of the agricultural and food products in terms of the intellectual property institutions. The author suggests amending the regional system with the new legal tools concerning the protection of geographical indications with regards to industrial goods.

Keywords: digital trading, regional system of registration, Regulation, unification, EU law, designation of origin, geographical indication, Single Digital Market, EU trademark, intellectual property

Review: This article examines the approaches of the “Asian Energy Ring” countries towards international legal acts pertaining to foreign investment – Convention “On Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States” (Washington, 1965); Convention “Establishing the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency” (Seoul, 1985); OECD Draft Convention “On Foreign Property” (1967); and acts of the World Trade Organization (The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, etc.). The existing law enforcement practice is provided. The scientific novelty consists in the analysis of provisions of the aforementioned legal acts applicable to the their positions in the countries under consideration – China, South Korea and Japan. The following methods were used in the course of this research: general scientific, dialectical, historical, and comparative legal analysis. The author relies upon subjective-objective set of processes. The conclusion is made that the international legal acts are an effective mechanism for ensuring (for example, Seoul Convention) and protection (for example, Washington Convention) of the investors’ interests.

Keywords: OECD Convention, Seoul Convention, Washington Convention, guarantees of investor rights, Japan, South Korea, China, acts of WTO, MAGI, ICSID