Legal developments and problems of the Bologna process within the European higher education area and European integration

2010 sees the end of the process of establishing the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Although not all countries may have achieved all the objectives, many are those countries and universities who have implemented many of the targets set. Within the Bologna Process, there have been many developments such as: European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) for the transfer of period of study abroad; joint degrees; and quality assurance aspects among others. Guidelines for Quality Assurance and the development of an overarching European Qualifications Framework have been developed. While the Bologna Process brings with it many advantages on an education level, the discussion has not really considered the legal aspects of such a system. Once the EHEA is implemented comprehensively across Europe, situations may arise which would require universities to consider the legal aspects of learning that students may have experienced within different tertiary institutions. This paper considers what problems may arise, for example with fraudulent behaviour by students in the acquisition of ECTS credits in another university; with weaknesses or failure to prove quality of learning following an external quality assurance audit in another university; with the failure to deliver learning by one of the partner universities running joint degrees etc., and explores the possible legal implications of such situations as well as identifying the legal lacunae which exist and which need to be taken into consideration if the EHEA is to maintain the reputation that it aims for.peer-reviewe

Circulation of personal data and non-personal data within the European Research Area for research and health purposes

The availability and circulation of data, information, knowledge and materials are essential in all fields of research, but they are particularly important in a period in which it is necessary to tackle a global phenomenon like the COVID- 19 pandemic. Awareness of the importance of the circulation of information derived from data, the European Commission has been elaborating a strategy for the circula- tion and sharing of personal and non-personal data. The European strategy needs the data to circulate and be shared in the economic, academic, and social environments. To achieve those objectives, EU documents use the metaphor of building a ‘European Data Area’, that is to say, legal, economic, and cultural frameworks governed at the continental and national levels, such as European Research Area (‘ERA’, see Article 179 TFEU) and the proposed European Health Data Space (‘EHDS’). An analysis of the current legislation seems to indicate several legal constraints on the circulation of data (information, knowledge and material), able to affect the building of an effective European Data Area. These limitations aim at protecting individual rights, such as privacy or other interests. However, such limitations to the circulation of data may affect other relevant rights and interests such as freedom of research and health. For this reason, this paper intends to show what are the legal means to find the points of equilibrium between the different viewpoints and allow the sustainable function of the European Data Area. Because proper global governance of health data and materials is required, the paper tries to the analysis of the main EU instruments which at this moment are able to regulate it, in order to implement an effective system for the exchange of data, in the meantime that the scientific community is waiting for the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) guidance on the processing health data for research purposes, still pending

Academic Freedom as Fundamental Right

[EN] The paper aims at defining in particular the concept of academic freedom within the context of the European legal sources. Even though the idea of a special corporative status for professors was born during the Middle Ages, it was only during the second half of the twentieth century that the Constitutions recognised academic freedom as an individual’s legal right.. Such an individual right is regulated within the category of the freedom of expression, even if it is characterised by particular aspects. Like any individual right that is recognised at the constitutional level, the freedoms of teaching and research are subject to limitations that protect other fundamental rights. Furthermore, today the academic freedom has lost its traditional sense as a defence against public powers and is now granted to play a social function, protecting not only the corporative interests of teachers. It can then be concluded that only through the developing ofthe social role of education and research, by the principles of quality, transparency and accountability, ensures the individual and institutional rights of the teachersand researchers, strengthening and upgrading the role that universities are playing in the last 900 years.Cippitani, R. (2015). Academic Freedom as Fundamental Right. En 1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION ADVANCES (HEAD' 15). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 552-558. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd15.2015.35755255

ROL DE LA JURISPRUDENCIA EUROPEA Y NACIONAL

Durante los años 70 del siglo pasado, como en otros países europeos, el derecho de familia italiano fue renovado profundamente, especialmente para ser actualizado dentro del marco constitucional. La ley de reforma n° 151 de 1975 implementó la igualdad de la mujer y del hombre en el ámbito de la familia, así como previsto por el artículo 29 de la Constitución italiana. Por otra la parte, la normativa italiana sobre la filiación se siguió basando en la idea formal de las relaciones familiares, en particular relacionadas con el matrimonio entre una mujer y un hombre. Durante los cuarenta años siguientes, el legislador italiano no ha cambiado mucho la disciplina de la filiación, por lo menos hasta la reciente ley n° 219 del 10 de diciembre de 2012. Sin embargo, la filiación ha ido cambiando especialmente a causa de la labor interpretativa de los jueces nacionales, especialmente la Corte constitucional, pero también de los jueces europeos, es decir el Tribunal Europeo de los Derechos Humanos y el Tribunal de Justicia de Unión Europea. Por tanto, se ha puesto en marcha un diálogo entre las cortes nacionales y regionales que ha transformado la disciplina jurídica de la filiación italiana mucho más allá de lo que ha hecho la legislación

Competence Centre ICDI per Open Science, FAIR, ed EOSC - Mission, Strategia e piano d'azione

This document presents the mission and strategy of the Italian Competence Centre on Open Science, FAIR, and EOSC. The Competence Centre is an initiative born within the Italian Computing and Data Infrastructure (ICDI), a forum created by representatives of major Italian Research Infrastructures and e-Infrastructures, with the aim of promoting sinergies at the national level, and optimising the Italian participation to European and global challenges in this field, including the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC), the European Data Infrastructure (EDI) and HPC. This working paper depicts the mission and objectives of the ICDI Competence Centre, a network of experts with various skills and competences that are supporting the national stakeholders on topics related to Open Science, FAIR principles application and participation to the EOSC. The different actors and roles are described in the document as well as the activities and services offered, and the added value each stakeholder can find the in Competence Centre. The tools and services provided, in particular the concept for the portal, though which the Centre will connect to the national landscape and users, are also presented

Chilean Supreme Court ruling on the protection of brain activity: neurorights, personal data protection, and neurodata

This paper discusses a landmark ruling by the Chilean Supreme Court of August 9, 2023 dealing with the right to mental privacy, originated with an action for constitutional protection filed on behalf of Guido Girardi Lavin against Emotiv Inc., a North American company based in San Francisco, California that is commercializing the device “Insight.” This wireless device functions as a headset with sensors that collect information about the brain’s electrical activity (i.e., neurodata). The discussion revolves around whether neurodata can be considered personal data and whether they could be classified into a special category. The application of the present legislation on data (the most obsolete, such as the Chilean law, and the most recent EU law) does not seem adequate to protect neurodata. The use of neurodata raises ethical and legal concerns that are not fully addressed by current regulations on personal data protection. Despite not being necessarily considered personal data, neurodata represent the most intimate aspects of human personality and should be protected in light of potential new risks. The unique characteristics of neurodata, including their interpretive nature and potential for revealing thoughts and intentions, pose challenges for regulation. Current data protection laws do not differentiate between different types of data based on their informational content, which is relevant for protecting individual rights. The development of new technologies involving neurodata requires particular attention and careful consideration to prevent possible harm to human dignity. The regulation of neurodata must account for their specific characteristics and the potential risks they pose to privacy, confidentiality, and individual rights. The answer lies in the reconfiguration of human rights known as “neurorights” that goes beyond the protection of personal data

«PATRIMONIO GENÉTICO» Y DERECHOS FUNDAMENTALES

El Derecho actual disciplina algunos aspectos del uso de las informaciones genéticas humanas y no humanas, es decir de las plantas y de los animales. Las fuentes jurídicas (internacionales, supranacionales, nacionales) se ocupa del tema para tutelar algunos importantes intereses como la dignidad de la persona, en el caso de las informaciones genéticas humanas, o la protección del medioambiente. Las fuentes jurídicas, que se ocupan del tema, utilizan un «paradigma propietario», con el objetivo de poner la información genética bajo el exclusivo control del titular de las informaciones, que es, según el marco jurídico de referencia, la persona o el Estado. El paradigma propietario se manifiesta principalmente a través del consentimiento por la personas para utilizo de sus informaciones genéticas y, por otro lado, mediante la noción de soberanía del Estado sobre los recursos genéticos del medioambiente. Sin embargo, el paradigma propietario, aunque sirve para evitar prejudicios a las personas y para impedir la depredación de los recursos naturales, no es adecuado para solucionar todos los problemas jurídicos concernientes las informaciones genéticas. En particular el paradigma propietario no tiene en cuenta los derechos de terceros sujetos o de comunidades. Además este enfoque no considera de manera correcta intereses generales como lo de llevar a cabo actividades de investigación científica sobre los datos genéticos. Por tanto, es necesario elaborar nuevos instrumentos jurídicos para solucionar eficazmente los problemas concernientes las informaciones genéticas, buscando un equilibrio entre los intereses distintos

The “curious case” of Italian Law No. 40 of 2004: how the dialogue between judges is modifying the legislation on medically-assisted reproduction

Italian Law no. 40 concerning medically-assisted reproduction was approved on 19 March 2004. Italy is among the last of the European countries to regulate a matter which has been considered in the legislation of other countries since the 80s of the last century. Although Law no. 40 has not been modified by the Italian Parliament during the subsequent twelve years, it has been deeply amended by at least 28 judgements issued by Italian courts (the Constitutional Court, as well as the civil, penal and administrative tribunals) and by the European Court of Human Rights, which have progressively dismantled the original text with respect to the following issues: access to assisted reproduction, preimplantation analysis, heterologous fertilisation, etc. The national and supranational courts have established a very interesting juridical dialogue, which has made Law no. 40 more consistent with the Italian Constitution, as well as with the Convention of Rome, the freedom of movement, and other principles established by the European Union. The cases addressing Law 40 of 2004 are quite impressive due to the absence of the necessary balance between the different interests in the Italian law-making process, as well as the failure to verify the consistency of the Italian law with supranational principles. However, this case of Italian law is only an exemplification of how the dialogue among the courts produces the development and application of European law, and how such a dialogue may impact domestic legislation, especially laws regarding very sensitive and delicate issues

Las relaciones familiares en el espacio jurídico europeo

Fil: Cippitani, Roberto. Università Degli Studi di Perugia. Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche. Cattedra Jean Monnet. Perugia, Italia"Se agradece a la profesora Andrea Mensa González por haber realizado la revisión de este artículo.". -- La cátedra Jean Monnet es una cátedra universitaria otorgada por la Comisión Europea en el marco de su plan de acción. Tienen como objetivo reforzar la docencia y la investigación sobre la integración europea en las universidades, tanto de los Estados miembros como de terceros países. Su nombre hace honor a quien fuera un político francés que, como asesor de Robert Schuman, contribuyó decisivamente a poner los cimientos de las entonces Comunidades Europeas. -- La primera etapa de esta publicación concluyó en el año 2018, comenzó una segunda época en el año 2019 con el nombre Revista "Integración Regional y Derechos Humanos". -- Sección Ensayos

Papel de los jueces en la aplicación de los derechos de origen trasnacional

Los jueces, incluso los nacionales, desempeñan un papel muy importante en la aplicación del derecho transnacional.Desde el punto de vista del derecho internacional tradicional, que regla principalmente las relaciones entre Estados, los jueces no aplican directamente las normas establecidas por los tratados, sino reglas internas.