Chapter 1 The World Scenario and the Approximation of Law 1
Introduction 1
Ⅰ The Emergence of a Global Economic Order 1
Ⅱ Political Governance in a Global Society 4
A The Crisis of the Concept of the Nation State 4
B Governance in a Transforming Society 6
C The Regionalization of Governance 7
Ⅲ The Legal Impact 8
A The ‘Import' and ‘Export' of Laws 8
B Standardization of National Law 10
C International Law and the Emergence of a Contemporary Lex Mercatoria 11
Ⅳ Conclusion 15
Chapter 2 Vehicles for Harmonization of Law 17
Introduction 17
Ⅰ Soft Law 17
A The Adoption of Soft Law in International Relations 17
B Soft Law: The Forms of Its Incorporation in the International Legal System 19
C The Nature of Soft Law 20
D The Efficacy of Soft Law as International Law 21
E Soft Law and Its Links with Other International Law-Making Processes 22
Ⅱ Customary International Law-Making 23
A The Definition and Creation of Customary International Law 23
B The Ability to Create Customary Law 26
C Identification of Relevant State Practice for the Creation of Customary Law 27
D The Concept of ‘Instant' Customary Law 28
E Treaties as a Source of Customary International Law 29
Ⅲ Multilateral Treaties 30
A International Treaty-Making 30
B Reservations: An Obstacle for the Uniform Application of Treaties 32
Ⅳ International Law-Making and the Activities of International Organizations 34
Ⅴ The Role of Multinational Enterprises in the Harmonization of Laws 37
Ⅵ The Influence of Developments in Information Technology on the International Law-Making Process 38
Ⅶ Conclusion: Towards a Formless International Legal Corpus 39
Chapter 3 Regionalization and Standardization of Law 41
Introduction 41
Ⅰ Trade Oriented Integration: An Historical Approach 41
A Ancient History to the Merchant Guilds and the Development of Cities 41
B The Impact of Islam 44
C The Role of the Jews 45
D Colonialism 45
E The Benelux Economic Union 48
Ⅱ An Historical Overview of Regional Integration: The Case Studies of the EU and the Mercosur 49
A European Union 49
B Mercosur 53
Ⅲ The Process of Regionalization 55
A The Causes of Regional Integration 55
B Types and Characteristics of Regional Integration Initiatives 61
1 Free Trade Areas 61
2 Customs Unions and Deeper Forms of Regionalism 61
3 Regional Institutions 62
Ⅳ Regionalism and Globalization 63
A WTO Requirements on Regional Trade Agreements 63
1 Article XXⅣ 64
2 Enabling Clause 64
B Conflicts between Regional Integration and the WTO Policy on Global Trade Liberalization 65
C Open Regionalism 70
Ⅴ Conclusion: The Co-existence of Regional and Multilateral Integration 72
Chapter 4 Regional Corporate Law Harmonization: The EU and the Mercosur 73
Introduction 73
Ⅰ Historical Background 74
A European Union 74
B Mercosur 75
Ⅱ The Driving Forces of Harmonization of Company Law 77
A The Case Study of the EU and the Mercosur 77
Ⅲ Primary Legislation 80
A EC Treaty Provisions: Freedom of Establishment and the Mutual Recognition of Companies 80
B Mercosur: Asuncion Treaty Framework and Member States' Domestic Legislation 87
Ⅳ Secondary Legislation 91
A EU Vehicles for Company Law Harmonization 91
B The EU Directives on Company Law Harmonization 96
C Mercosur Vehicles for Law Harmonization 102
D Mercosur Secondary Legislation in Corporate Matters 106
Ⅴ The Creation of Regional Corporate Bodies 108
A The Establishment of Transnational European Bodies: The EEIG and the ‘Societas Europaea' 108
B Establishment of Transnational （Bi-national） Corporate Bodies in South America 114
Ⅵ Conclusion: The Learning Process of Regional Corporate Harmonization 117
Chapter 5 The Infrastructure of Capital 119
Introduction 119
Ⅰ International Cross-Border Handling of Capital: An Overview 119
Ⅱ Cross-Border Transactions in the European Union 127
A Historical Development and Legal Nature of EC Law on Movement of Capital 127
B EC Primary Provisions on Movement of Capital 129
C The EC Directive on Free Movement of Capital 133
D EC Secondary Legislation on Cross-Border Payments and Transfers 134
Ⅲ Conclusion 137
Chapter 6 The Phenomenon of Development: International and Regional Approaches to Banking and Financial Law 139
Introduction 139
Ⅰ Freedom of Establishment 140
A Globalization, Consolidation and Conglomeration 140
B New Entrants 143
C Regulatory Responses 144
Ⅱ Main Objectives of Financial Sector Regulation 145
A Prudential Conduct of Business and Systemic Regulation 145
B Prevention of Financial Crime and Anti-Money-Laundering Legislation 147
C Promotion of Adequate Competitiveness 147
Ⅲ The Approach of Financial Regulators to the New Financial Scenario 148
A Liberalization of National Financial Regulations 148
B Cross-Border Financial Trade: The Establishment of Banking and Financial Standards, Mutual Recognition and ‘Passport' Systems 149
C The New Institutional Structure of Financial Regulation as a Response to Financial Convergence 150
D The Concept of Ring Regulation （Abstract） 152
Ⅳ International Regulations 152
Ⅴ The Case Study of the EU: The Passport System and the Route to a Single Market 155
Ⅵ Conclusion 158
Chapter 7 Theories of the Company 161
Introduction 161
Ⅰ The Regulation of Companies and the Justification for Corporate Governance 162
Ⅱ Contractualism 163
A Aggregation of Individuals: Legal Contractualism 163
B A Nexus of Contracts: Economic Contractualism 166
1 Managerialism 168
2 The New Economic Theory of the Firm 169
3 Contractualism: A Critique 169
C Contractual Justification for Corporate Governance 170
1 The Shareholder as Regulator 171
Ⅲ Communitaire Theories 172
A Communitaire Justifications 173
Ⅳ Concessionary Theories 174
A The Company as a Mere Fiction 174
B The Body Politic: Theories of Constitutionalism 175
1 Corporate Constitutionalism 175
2 The Free Floating Company: The Dual Concessionary Theory 177
C Justifications from a Concessionary Perspective 178
Ⅴ Conclusion 179
Chapter 8 Corporate Governance 181
Introduction 181
Ⅰ The International Corporate Environment and the Development of Corporate Governance 181
A Corporate Concentration 181
B Negative Externalities and the Operations of Multinational Corporations 183
C Corporate Social Responsibility 183
D Corporate Control and Issues of Corporate Governance 184
E Transparency and the Necessity of International Standards of Corporate Governance 185
Ⅱ Corporate Governance: The Case Study of the UK 186
A Background 186
B The Combined Code 2003 188
C Legal Status of the Combined Code 2003 andComplementing Legislation 190
Ⅲ Corporate Governance Developments in the EU 191
Ⅳ International Initiatives in Terms of Corporate Governance 193
A The OECD Principles of Corporate Governance 2004 193
B International Corporate Governance Network （ICGN） 194
C Governance of Corporate Groups and Multinational Enterprises 194
Ⅴ Enforceable Corporate Governance Legislation: The Case Study of the US 198
Ⅵ Corporate Governance in Latin America: The Case Study of Brazil 199
A Origins of Corporate Governance in Brazil 199
B Brazilian Initiatives on Corporate Governance: Background 202
C The Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance and the Code of Best Practice 203
D The Policy of ‘Bovespa' and the New Market 204
E CVM Recommendations 205
F Initiatives Involving Corporate Governance for State-Owned Corporations 205
G OECD White Paper on Corporate Governance in Latin America 206
Ⅶ Conclusion 207
Chapter 9 International Legal Standards and the Inclusion of Emerging Countries in the Globalized Order: The Case Study of Brazil 209
Introduction 209
Ⅰ The Contemporary Brazilian Democratization Process 210
Ⅱ The Consolidation of Brazilian Institutions 212
Ⅲ Brazil's Active Role as a Leader of Emerging Countries withinInternational Organizations and the WTO 215
Ⅳ Legal Developments in Brazil and the Ratification of International Conventions 216
Ⅴ Conclusion 221
Ⅵ Interview with Dr Fernando Henrique Cardoso （President of Brazil from 1995 to 2003）, recorded on 16 August 2005 at his residence in Sao Paulo 222
Conclusion Legal Pluralism and the Creation of Standards within the Process of Globalization: Analytical Summary and Theoretical and Practical Implications 237
Ⅰ Main Findings 237
A Approximation of Law in the Global Arena 237
B International Multilateral Law-Making and Its Vehicles 239
C Contemporary Issues Regarding Regionalism and Multilateralism 242
D Movements of Capital and Legal Persons 245
1 Capital Movements and Financial Regulation 245
2 Movements of Legal Persons and the Harmonization of Corporate Law 249
3 Harmonized Corporate Vehicles 250
E The Role of Corporations in the Global Society 251
1 Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility 251
F Inclusion in the Global Scenario: How Emerging Countries Are Coping with the Global Order 253
Bibliography 255
Index 269