The Gazette 1976

SEPTEMBER 1976

GAZETTE

acquire the knowledge that is essential to the exercise of professional activities in both the public and the private sectors. .. With these aims in mind, the Committee unan- imously proposes the following measures : Convinced that the understanding of foreign legal texts is essential to the teaching of comparative law. Expresses the wish that, on the one hand, the student should already have acquired the basic knowledge necessary to such understanding through his secondary education and, on the other hand, that the Faculties should take steps calculated to develop knowledge of one or more foreign languages, if possible from the angle of legal terminology. 3. The Committee recommends the compulsory organisation of an introductory course in comparative law, leading to a terminal examination and including an outline of the major legal systems and initiation into comparative methods, as well as setting up a committee of experts whose task it would be to prepare a model syllabus for this course. 4. The Committee considers that, after this general introduction, knowledge of comparative law should be developed according to the particular fields of interest of each Faculty : teaching could be provided both in the form of specific instruction (by geographical sector, or by subject in the field of both private and public law) or in that of incorporating a comparative approach in the general teaching of different subjects (including historical subjects). 5. Encouraging the study of Comparative Law involves an increase in teaching staff. With this in view, the Committee would first recall the need to enhance the mobility of teaching staff (university professors and lecturers) between one country and another, and hopes that all the necessary steps may be taken to facilitate such exchanges. The same mobility must likewise be guaranteed to students, in particular through the certification of studies carried out in a foreign university and leading to a terminal examination. It considers that this twofold aim will be furthered by the establishment of effective twinning arrangements between foreign universities. Committee B's brief was to consider specialised teaching and research in the light of the reports sub- mitted by Professors G Giugni and S. Keyman. During the discussion the following conclusions emerged. 1. The Committee observed first of all how im- portant it was that specialised university bodies should circulate each other with information about themselves. It should also be made easier to gain information concerning national texts of legal significance. The help which the Council of Europe could provide in this respect would be particularly valuable. The existence of the Newsletter on legislative activities in the member States should not be forgotten. It pro- vides a summary of legislative developments in the various Council of Europe member States and its cir- culation should be encouraged. Similarly, other documents of the same type which were produced by the Council of Europe — such as translations of legal texts — should be made available to interested bodies. 2. The problems of methods were discussed exten- sively. The view was expressed that, generally speaking, B. Specialised teaching and research

COUNCIL OF EUROPE FOURTH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF LAW FACULTIES Strasbourg, 8 October 1976 CONCLUS I ONS Introduction 1. The Fourth European Conference of Law Facul- ties, arranged by the Council of Europe and having as its theme : "The contribution of comparative law to teaching, research and law reform" was held at the headquarters of the Council of Europe from 6 to 8 October 1976. 2. On the proposal of the Organising Committee, the conference elected as its Chairman Professor A. G. Chloros (London), and as its Vice-Chairmen Professors Ch Domonice (Geneva), R. Nerson (Lyons III), S. Jorgensen (Aarhus) and Mr. A. Huss, Honorary Attorney General (Luxembourg). 3. Those participating in the conference included teachers and research workers in legal sciences attached to law faculties or to research centres and institutes, lawyers with experience of legislative work appointed to represent member countries of the Council of Europe, and observers sent by Finland, the Holy See, Spain, the United States and certain European govern- mental and non-governmental organisations. 4. The subjects chosen within the framework of the conference theme were considered by three committees, namely : Committee A : General teaching (1st cycle). Chair- man : Professor R. Sacco (Turin). Committee B : Specialised teaching and research (at the universities and at autonomous institutes). Chair- man : Professor C. A. Colliard (Paris). Committee C : Law reform. Chairman : Mr. C. Tornaritis, Attorney General (Nicosia). 5. The conference expressed its gratitude to the Council of Europe for offering it an opportunity to discuss those problems; Expressed its gratification at the extremely fruitful exchanges of view which had taken place on those subjects in the aforementioned committees; Conveyed to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe the following conclusions at which it arrived as a result of its work; Recommended that the competent bodies of the Council of Europe should 1. authorise the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to publish the proceedings of the conference and communicate them to the governments of member States with a request that they keep him informed of the follow-up action taken; 2. convene a 5th conference in due course. A. General teaching (1st cycle) 1. The Committee, being unanimous in its concern to promote the teaching of Comparative Law and the knowledge of foreign law in the European universities. Considers that the teaching of Comparative Law, in the context of economic and social relations in the con- temporary world, holds an obvious twofold interest: (1) Knowledge of Comparative Law is an instrument of inestimable value to the student in the fields of general culture and legal training, since it enables him to gain an accurate understanding of his own national law and of European and international legal relations; (2) The study of rnmnarative law makes it possible to

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