Science and Technology

Introduction

After years of controversy, a small group of countries, including the United States and European Union member states, announced in December 2010 that they had finalized a new "Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement"[1] ("ACTA"). With the negotiations complete, attention has turned to a question that may at first appear obscure, but is in fact of enormous importance: Can the U.S. President make the agreement on his own, without Congressional approval?

Introduction

The WTO dispute in EC—Aircraft (DS316)[1] has been both lengthy (six years from the first consultations request to the circulation of the Appellate Body report) and complex (in terms of both legal and factual issues). This Insight provides a brief overview of the issues involved in the panel and appellate proceedings.

Factual Background

Introduction

Introduction

Many European countries have experienced outbreaks caused by a dangerous strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, and two countries have, to date, reported deaths related to these outbreaks. Responses have involved actions that implement and affect international legal regimes on public health and international trade. This Insight describes these E. coli outbreaks and the international legal issues the outbreaks have raised.

The European E. coli Outbreaks

Introduction

Introduction

I. Introduction

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, held from November 29 to December 11, 2010, in Cancún, Mexico, relaunched the United Nation's multilateral facilitation role. Delegates agreed to aspects of a global framework to help developing countries curb their carbon output and cope with the effects of climate change, but they postponed the harder question of precisely how industrialized and major emerging economies will share the task of making deeper greenhouse-gas emission cuts.

Introduction

Introduction

When humans first launched themselves into the air to attack their enemies, they used balloons. Later came planes and helicopters. The latest development in the area of airborne attacks takes the human operator out of the air. People may operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) thousands of miles from the drone’s location.[1]

I. Introduction

Google’s recent decision to stop censoring its search results in China reflects the challenging position in which providers of information and communication technologies find themselves today. This Insight provides an overview of the debate about Google’s provision of search services in China and describes the framework of corporate social responsibility that applies to Internet providers operating in countries that restrict expression online.

II. Internet Regulation in China