| In Principle

The EU’s Succession Regulation (650/2012), which went in force on 17 August 2015, permits a choice of the law that will govern inheritance from a decedent. In the context of Polish reprivatisation cases, the best choice is Polish law.

The proposed amendment to Poland’s environmental impact assessment regulations contains not just procedural changes. It also goes directly to the nature of environmental impact assessments and the contents of EIA reports.

Can internet service providers be ordered to block a specific website?

TTIP negotiations present an opportunity to lift export restrictions on American oil and gas in force since 1938. Europe would gain increased security in the supply of energy commodities, and the US could reinforce the eastern borders of NATO while competing on the European market.

Signing the transatlantic free-trade agreement could increase Europe’s energy security. The trick is how to compete with American companies that are already using cheaper energy and don’t have to comply with the same restrictions on CO2 emissions.

The issue of decarbonisation of the economies of EU member states, and in particular Poland, generates a lot of heat. Decarbonising the economy was named as one of the EU’s five energy priorities in the Commission communication entitled “A Framework Strategy for a Resilient Energy Union with a Forward-Looking Climate Change Policy.”

On 15 July 2015 the European Commission published a proposal to amend the current Emissions Trading System Directive (2003/87/EC).

On 8 July 2015 the European Parliament issued a decision establishing a market stability reserve (MSR) mechanism for CO2 emission allowances. The decision was approved by the Council of the European Union on 18 September 2015.

Lego figures are a toy for all. They develop not only the imagination, but also the line of European case law. Like Rubik’s Cube, they are reversing the tide of refusal to grant trademark protection to the shapes of products.

This year’s amendment of the Waste Act is forcing changes in the scheduling of incinerator projects. Target load start-up tests must be postponed until after the integrated permit is issued. This may give rise to claims by contractors for prolonging the project completion period because of a change in the law.

The contractual division of duties to obtain decisions and permits does not change the principle that the investor is basically required to cover the costs of obtaining them. Nor can a division contrary to law be imposed on the contractor.

On 1 July 2015, lawyers and parties to criminal proceedings in Poland entered a new reality. But will adversarial criminal trials truly unburden the courts and speed up the process?