Cross-border consumer conflicts — A French-German experience
The paper informs about and analyses the interim results of a joint initiative of European consumer associations to combat misleading marketing practices originating in Germany and directed towards French consumers. The traditional enforcement mechanisms have so far been unable to provide adequate remedies for cross-border complaints which will occur with more regularity the closer the internal market of the EC comes to completion. The author discusses strategies to take action against the tortfeasor in the country where the wrongful practices originate, rather than, as provided for by the traditional conflict rules, at the place where the injury occurs.ZusammenfassungDer Aufsatz berichtet und analysiert die Zwischenergebnisse einer gemeinsamen Initiative von europäischen Verbraucherorganisationen, die irreführende Wettbewerbspraktiken bekämpfen wollen, die ihren Ausgangspunkt in Deutschland haben und gegen französische Verbraucher gerichtet sind. Die herkömmlichen Rechtsdurchsetzungsmechanismen sind bislang ungeeignet, einen ausreichenden Rechtsschutz bei granzüberschreitenden Beschwerden zu gewährleisten, die mit der Vollendung des Binnenmarktes zunehmend um sich greifen. Der Autor diskutiert Strategien, um gegen den wettbewerbswidrig Handelnden im Verursachungstaat vorzugehen, d.h. dort, wo die Handlungen ihren Ursprung nehmen, und nicht erst dort, wie unter traditionellem internationalem Recht, wo sie ihre schädigenden Auswirkungen haben.
The EU Legal Framework for the Enforcement of Consumer Law
The European Union (EU) is special in that it is a multi-level system in which, principally, consumer law can be adopted at the EU level but it is enforced at the level of the Member States. Nevertheless, the EU has over time developed an ever denser legal framework for the enforcement of consumer law by the Member States. It is this legal framework that this contribution focuses upon.
Slotted Waveguide Antenna With Two Radiation Nulls
A design of a linear array antenna having two radiation nulls and otherwise omnidirectional radiation pattern is reported. A new configuration of a waveguide broad wall longitudinal slot doublet with positive and negative offsets with respect to the waveguide center line is used to design the array. This type of doublet produces two radiation nulls. Each of the null directions can be shifted at least up to plusmn25deg by proper choice of slot offset. Resonance and radiation characteristics of the proposed doublet are also presented. Finally, one linear array antenna consisting of seven doublets has been fabricated. Measurements show that the 15 dB null widths are 14.2deg and the null depths are at least 24.8 dB. Maximum gain ripple in the omnidirectional region is 1.75 dB.