Las cláusulas de elementos esenciales de los acuerdos comerciales de la UE: ¿Contribuye la política comercial de la UE a la protección de los Derechos Humanos?

Este artículo examina de una manera crítica la política europea de incluir cláusulas de ‘elementos esenciales’ en acuerdos comerciales, como principal medio para la realización del nexo comercio-derechos humano exigido por la obligación de la UE de articular sus relaciones externas para la promoción de sus valores fundamentales. Después de estudiar la anatomía de dichas cláusulas, el artículo se propone analizar las críticas que estas cláusulas han generado en relación con (i) el hecho de que no todos los acuerdos comerciales de la UE contienen estas cláusulas, (ii) su redacción y alcance, y (iii) su evaluación e implementación. El artículo concluirá con una valoración de la efectividad y legitimidad de esta política y de la manera en la que influye sobre la credibilidad del programa normativo de las relaciones exteriores de UE. Recibido: 17 abril 2015 Aceptado: 11 junio 2015 Publicación en línea: 15 abril 201

Précision et droits de l’homme dans l’ordre juridique belge : focus sur la notion polysémique d’effet direct

La présente étude aborde la thématique générale du colloque - précision et droits de l’homme - au travers de la question de la justiciabilité de ces droits, et, plus précisément, de la notion d’effet direct, qui, au sein de l’ordre juridique belge, fait l’objet de différentes acceptions (stricte ou large) et approches (traditionnelle, contextualisée et graduelle). Ce faisant, elle est conduite à interroger la pertinence de cette notion polysémique, dont on peut se demander si elle n’obscurcit pas le débat davantage qu’elle ne l’éclaire, singulièrement dans le cadre d’un contentieux de type objectif.This study deals with the general topic of the symposium - precision and human rights - through the issue of justiciability of these rights, and more specifically, the concept of direct effect, which is given different meanings (narrow or wide) and approaches (traditional, contextualized and gradual) in the Belgian legal system. It therefore questions the relevance of this polysemous concept. One wonders among others if it does not obscure the debate more than it enlightens, particularly in the context of an « objective litigation »

负责任商业行为与企业赔付的国家联络点：20年的成就和挑战

National Contact Points for Responsible Business Conduct, the remedy mechanism built into the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, have just celebrated 20 years. This Perspective reviews their main assets and achievements since their creation and offers suggestions on how to enhance their contribution to remedying corporate impacts worldwide

Quel patrimoine pour l’informatique ? Introduction au numéro

National audienceIntroduction of Journal 73 on the Industrial Computer HeritageIntroduction du Numéro 73 de la revue sur Patrimoine industriel informatiqu

Dispute Settlement for Labour Provisions in EU Free Trade Agreements: Rethinking Current Approaches

While labour provisions have been inserted in a number of EU free trade agreements (FTAs), extant clauses are widely perceived as ineffective. This article argues that there is a need to rethink the dispute settlement mechanisms related to labour provisions if their effectiveness is to be increased. It proceeds in three steps. First, we look at the current state of the art of labour provisions in EU FTAs in terms of legal design and practice and argue that the current arrangements are ill-equipped to foster compliance with labour standards. Second, we explore avenues to enhance the design of FTA labour provisions by reconsidering basic elements of the dispute settlement structure. Examining US FTA labour provisions, we highlight the importance of a formal complaint mechanism, on the one hand, and the availability of economic sanctions, on the other. Based on a review of existing practice, we contend, however, that these elements alone are not sufficient to effectively enforce FTA labour provisions. We argue that for FTA labour provisions to be effective, the current state-to-state model of dispute settlement needs to be complemented by a third-party-state dimension and that, additionally, there are good reasons to consider a third party–third party dispute settlement component. We ground these reflections in experiences with already existing instruments in other areas, namely investor-state dispute settlement and voluntary sustainability standards. Thirdly, we discuss options to better connect the dispute settlement mechanisms of FTA labour provisions to other international instruments for labour standards protection with a view to creating synergies and avoiding fragmentation between the different regimes. The focus here is on the International Labour Organization’s supervisory mechanism and the framework of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

Introduction et allocutions d’ouverture

Introduction (Florence Hachez-Leroy) Le 2 décembre 2001, le Centre d'études africaines (CEAf) et le Centre de recherches historiques (CRH) ont organisé conjointement une journée d'études consacrée à Jacques Foccart, qui se déroula au grand amphithéâtre de l'École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS). L'objectif de cette journée était ambitieux : amener des chercheurs africains et français à se pencher sur un homme à la réputation sulfureuse, au travers d'une source nouvelle, avec le..

Identification of Maize Silicon Influx Transporters

Maize (Zea mays L.) shows a high accumulation of silicon (Si), but transporters involved in the uptake and distribution have not been identified. In the present study, we isolated two genes (ZmLsi1 and ZmLsi6), which are homologous to rice influx Si transporter OsLsi1. Heterologous expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes showed that both ZmLsi1 and ZmLsi6 are permeable to silicic acid. ZmLsi1 was mainly expressed in the roots. By contrast, ZmLsi6 was expressed more in the leaf sheaths and blades. Different from OsLsi1, the expression level of both ZmLsi1 and ZmLsi6 was unaffected by Si supply. Immunostaining showed that ZmLsi1 was localized on the plasma membrane of the distal side of root epidermal and hypodermal cells in the seminal and crown roots, and also in cortex cells in lateral roots. In the shoots, ZmLsi6 was found in the xylem parenchyma cells that are adjacent to the vessels in both leaf sheaths and leaf blades. ZmLsi6 in the leaf sheaths and blades also exhibited polar localization on the side facing towards the vessel. Taken together, it can be concluded that ZmLsi1 is an influx transporter of Si, which is responsible for the transport of Si from the external solution to the root cells and that ZmLsi6 mainly functions as a Si transporter for xylem unloading

Developmental pattern of aquaporin expression in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) leaves

Aquaporins are multifunctional membrane channels which belong to the family of major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) and are best known for their ability to facilitate the movement of water. In the present study, earlier results from microarray experiments were followed up. These experiments had suggested that, in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), aquaporin family members are expressed in distinct patterns during leaf development. Real-time PCR and in situ hybridization were used to analyse the level and tissue-distribution of expression of candidate aquaporins, focusing on plasma membrane and tonoplast intrinsic proteins (PIPs, TIPs). Water channel function of seven aquaporins, whose transcripts were the most abundant and the most variable, was tested through expression in yeast and, in part, through expression in oocytes. All PIP1 and PIP2 subfamily members changed in expression during leaf development, with expression being much higher or lower in growing compared with mature tissue. The same applied to those TIPs which were expressed at detectable levels. Specific roles during leaf development are proposed for particular aquaporins

Aquaporin-facilitated water uptake in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) roots

It is not known to what degree aquaporin-facilitated water uptake differs between root developmental regions and types of root. The aim of this study was to measure aquaporin-dependent water flow in the main types of root and root developmental regions of 14- to 17-d-old barley plants and to identify candidate aquaporins which mediate this flow. Water flow at root level was related to flow at cell and plant level. Plants were grown hydroponically. Hydraulic conductivity of cells and roots was determined with a pressure probe and through exudation, respectively, and whole-plant water flow (transpiration) determined gravimetrically in response to the commonly used aquaporin inhibitor HgCl2. Expression of aquaporins was analysed by real-time PCR and in situ hybridization. Hydraulic conductivity of cortical cells in seminal roots was largest in lateral roots; it was smallest in the fully mature zone and intermediate in the not fully mature ‘transition’ zone along the main root axis. Adventitious roots displayed an even higher (3- to 4-fold) cortical cell hydraulic conductivity in the transition zone. This coincided with 3- to 4-fold higher expression of three aquaporins (HvPIP2;2, HvPIP2;5, HvTIP1:1). These were expressed (also) in cortical tissue. The largest inhibition of water flow (83–95%) in response to HgCl2 was observed in cortical cells. Water flow through roots and plants was reduced less (40–74%). It is concluded that aquaporins contribute substantially to root water uptake in 14- to 17-d-old barley plants. Most water uptake occurs through lateral roots. HvPIP2;5, HvPIP2;2, and HvTIP1;1 are prime candidates to mediate water flow in cortical tissue

Irreversible fate commitment in the Arabidopsis stomatal lineage requires a Fama and Retinoblastoma-related module

The presumed totipotency of plant cells leads to questions about how specific stem cell lineages and terminal fates could be established. In the Arabidopsis stomatal lineage, a transient self-renewing phase creates precursors that differentiate into one of two epidermal cell types, guard cells or pavement cells. We found that irreversible differentiation of guard cells involves RETINOBLASTOMA-RELATED (RBR) recruitment to regulatory regions of master regulators of stomatal initiation, facilitated through interaction with a terminal stomatal lineage transcription factor, FAMA. Disrupting physical interactions between FAMA and RBR preferentially reveals the role of RBR in enforcing fate commitment over its role in cell-cycle control in this developmental context. Analysis of the phenotypes linked to the modulation of FAMA and RBR sheds new light on the way iterative divisions and terminal differentiation are coordinately regulated in a plant stem-cell lineage. - See more at: http://elifesciences.org/content/3/e03271#sthash.f3srCCrx.dpu