The tension between global public procurement law and nationalist/populist tendencies: proposals for reform

GPA had a main objective from its very beginning: confronting discrimination between bidders on national or geographical grounds and opening the system up to greater competence between private actors. The World has experienced a gradual liberalization of public national markets that was almost perceived as a natural process. But this other time thought never-ending process is experiencing serious difficulties. The global political panorama seems to be moving again towards the once forgotten nationalist ideologies; a fact that has brought back again the old host of economic protectionism to the front line of international public markets regulation. The present paper analyses the existing situation from a critical approach. Firstly, it carries out a study of the mechanisms and motives that lie behind populisms and its relationship with international law legitimacy and traditional procurement bias. Secondly, it signals the central role of GPA as the main international instrument to face neo-protectionism, and focuses on the subtle nature of most procurement barriers and how current review mechanism fail to both efficiently tackle potential infringements and to guarantee states’ autonomy. Finally, a proposal for reform is made as to the functioning of the GPA review mechanisms through the creation of a mixed review system.

La enseñanza de los principios del Derecho administrativo a través de la obra de Georges Perec

The revenues that literature studies could have for law students have been addressed by diverse scholars throughout the last decades, especially in the Anglo-Saxon world. However, its application in legal education and professional expertise in our country is rather low. In the present paper we analyse the main advantages that can derive from the use of literary works in the course of Administrative Law, proposing Georges Perec’s book as an alternative to the works traditionally used. Particularly, the analysis focuses on the novel “W ou le souvenir d’enfance” and the possibilities it offers regarding the teaching of the administrative law principles and the basis of the public law system in relation to the first stages of study by undergraduate students.Los beneficios de la literatura implementada en la enseñanza del Derecho han sido abordados durante las últimas décadas, especialmente en el mundo anglosajón. Sin embargo, su aplicación en la enseñanza jurídica y en su ejercicio profesional en nuestro país es aún más bien escaso. En el presente trabajo se estudian las principales ventajas que pudieran derivar de una utilización de obras literarias en la asignatura de Derecho Administrativo, proponiendo la obra de Georges Perec como una opción alternativa a las obras tradicionalmente utilizadas en este tipo de iniciativas docentes. En concreto, se analizan las posibilidades que puede ofrecer la novela “W o el recuerdo de la infancia” en relación con la enseñanza de los principios rectores del derecho administrativo, orientándolo por ende a la docencia en Derecho Administrativo I o la parte general de la asignatur

Deficiencias e incoherencias en la transposición de la normativa europea sobre conflicto de interés por la ley de contratos del sector público

The 9/2917 Public procurement Act sets as one of its main targets the creation of an ethical environment for the development of the public purchasing strategy. Even though this is made clear from the very beginning of the text and can be appreciated at different point throughout the wording of the rule, this objective has its mainly exemplified in article 64 and the regulation of conflicts of interest for the first time in a public procurement norm in Spain. However, the transposition with regard to this subject of Directive 2014/24 carried out by the Spanish legislator shows certain shortcomings and incongruencies that have significant consequences. On the basis of a preliminary analysis of conflicts of interest as a phenomenon and the foundations of its EU regulation, this article evidences that the national norm undertakes a misguided approach to the phenomenon that reproduces, disregarding the principles and objectives that inspire the EU law in the field, a regulatory structure on conflicts of interests that presents poor developments compared to the previous norm and relegates contracting authorities to a passive position in the fight against corruption, undermining the effectiveness of the EU procurement Directives

La ejecución en el proceso de modificación sustancial de las condiciones de trabajo

El nuevo marco normativo en materia de modificación de condiciones de trabajo surgido de la Reforma Laboral de 1994 supuso ante todo un cambio en el sistema de control de las decisiones modificativas empresariales. A tal efecto, y desaparecido cualquier tipo de control previo de carácter administrativo, se introdujo en nuestro ordenamiento una nueva modalidad procesal regulada en el artículo 138 LPL a través de la cual el trabajador afectado puede impugnar la decisión empresarial a fin de que ésta sea declarada por el órgano judicial justificada, injustificada o nula. Uno de los aspectos clave de esta modalidad procesal, y que constituye el objeto del presente estudio, es precisamente el relativo a la ejecución de la sentencia recaída en el proceso de modificación sustancial de las condiciones de trabajo. Su análisis nos lleva a explorar en primer término las alternativas reales que se le ofrecen al trabajador frente al eventual incumplimiento por la empresa de la obligación de reposición en las anteriores condiciones de trabajo contenida en la sentencia que declare injustificada la decisión empresarial, siendo esenciales en este punto las aportaciones doctrinales existentes en relación a los problemas interpretativos que plantea la atípica y confusa redacción del artículo 138.6 LPL. Las conclusiones que se extraen muestran la notoria fragilidad de la posición del trabajador frente a la negativa empresarial de cumplir in natura el contenido de la sentencia. La remisión en bloque de esta materia a los trámites del despido improcedente cuando el empresario ha optado por la readmisión genera igualmente no pocos problemas aplicativos. El primero de ellos es la determinación del plazo de ejercicio de la acción ejecutiva, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que el artículo 138 LPL no establece fecha alguna para la reposición del trabajador en sus anteriores condiciones de trabajo. Pero junto a éste, existen otros derivados de la limitación del objeto de debate en la ejecución o de la propia singularidad de la materia que nos ocupa. A su estudio se dedica la segunda parte del trabajo

Quemador poroso

Quemador poroso adaptado para ser alimentado con diferentes tipos de gases, que comprende un soporte que incluye un conducto a través del cual entra una mezcla de aire/gas en el quemador poroso, y una estructura cerámica, soportada por el soporte, que comprende una esponja inicialmente polimérica que se impregna con una barbotina, comprendiendo dicha barbotina al menos un material cerámico. La estructura cerámica tiene una porosidad final de entre aproximadamente 50 ppi hasta aproximadamente 70 ppi, y una densidad final de entre aproximadamente 0.45 hasta aproximadamente 0.65 g/cm3.Peer reviewedConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España), P.I. Prosider Ibérica S.A, Ikerlan S COOPB1 Patente sin examen previ

Long‐term monitoring program reveals a mismatch between spatial distribution and reproductive success in an endangered raptor species in the Mediterranean area

Unmasking the ecological processes responsible for the dynamics of a population is a necessary step toward understanding its threats and viability. We examined a fitness proxy (reproductive success) of an endangered raptor in relation to its ecological niche and spatial distribution to provide insights into the dynamics and potential threats to the population. We first studied how biotic and abiotic conditions drive both the spatial distribution of Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata) and its long-term reproductive success in a large area of northwestern Spain. We focused on the relationship between these two characteristics of the population. Our results showed that biotic factors (occurrence of competitors such as the golden eagle or prey availability) were more associated with the spatial distribution of the species than with its reproductive success. In contrast, abiotic factors describing climate were linked to reproductive success. Most interestingly, we found a mismatch between spatial suitability and reproductive success because reproduction was compromised in the areas that were more suitable for the occurrence of the species. The results suggest that productivity (less than one chick per year), measured as long-term reproductive success, may compromise the population viability and suggest the presence of an underlying mechanism in the population. Our results highlight the benefits of simultaneously considering both large-scale spatial distribution patterns and measures of fitness, which often require larger investments of time, for endangered species conservation programs

Understanding the active sites of boron nitride for CWPO: An experimental and computational approach

[EN] Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been explored as a catalyst for degrading persistent organic pollutants in wastewater by Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation (CWPO). Herein, the superior activity of the h-BN on the phenol degradation (model pollutant) compared to other metal-free catalysts, such as carbon-based ones, and the lower selectivity to CO encourage the potential application of h-BN catalysts in CWPO processes. Through a combined density functional theory calculations, experimental reactions and catalyst characterization approach, a comprehensive study on the reaction mechanism has been conducted. According to this, only defected B atoms in the h-BN layer, protonated as B-(OH), decompose the hydrogen peroxide into highly reactive hydroxyl radicals. The radical species diffuse towards inner h-BN regions and react with the phenol adsorbed by π-π interaction on the h-BN surface. Oxidation by-products cause carbonaceous deposits and progressive deactivation of the h-BN catalyst that can be directly regenerated by burning off in air.The authors thank the financial support by the Community of Madrid and the Government of Spain through the projects: S2018/EMT- 4341 and RTI2018-095052-B-I00 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE), respectively. The work done at the University of Sevilla was funded by Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and EU-FEDER, grant PID2019-106871 GB-I00, and the Junta de Andalucía-FEDER, grant: US-1381410. Also, G. Vega acknowledges the Community of Madrid for the Predoctoral contract PEJD-2018-PRE/AMB-9019, co-financed by the European Social Fund through the Youth Employment Operational Program and the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) 2018. J. Carbajo thanks the financial support by the Government of Spain for a grant under the Juan de la Cierva_Incorporación programme (IJCI-2017- 32682). The authors would like to thank A. Pérez for performing the BET and TGA measurements

The tension between global public procurement law and nationalist/populist tendencies: Proposals for reform

GPA had a main objective from its very beginning: confronting discrimination between bidders on national or geographical grounds and opening the system up to greater competence between private actors. The World has experienced a gradual liberalization of public national markets that was almost perceived as a natural process. But this other time thought never-ending process is experiencing serious difficulties. The global political panorama seems to be moving again towards the once forgotten nationalist ideologies; a fact that has brought back again the old host of economic protectionism to the front line of international public markets regulation. The present paper analyses the existing situation from a critical approach. Firstly, it carries out a study of the mechanisms and motives that lie behind populisms and its relationship with international law legitimacy and traditional procurement bias. Secondly, it signals the central role of GPA as the main international instrument to face neo-protectionism, and focuses on the subtle nature of most procurement barriers and how current review mechanism fail to both efficiently tackle potential infringements and to guarantee states’ autonomy. Finally, a proposal for reform is made as to the functioning of the GPA review mechanisms through the creation of a mixed review system. O Acordo de Contratação Pública (ACP) teve um objetivo principal desde o seu início: enfrentar a discriminação entre licitantes por motivos nacionais ou geográficos e abrir o sistema para maior competência entre atores privados. O mundo experimentou uma liberalização gradual dos mercados públicos nacionais que quase foi percebida como um processo natural. Mas este processo está passando por sérias dificuldades. O panorama político global parece es -tar se movendo novamente em direção às ideologias nacionalistas outrora esquecidas; um fato que trouxe de volta o antigo hospedeiro do protecionismo econômico à linha dfrente da regulação dos mercados públicos internacionais. O presente artigo analisa a situação existente a partir de uma abordagem crítico. Em primeiro lugar, realiza-se um estudo dos mecanismos e motivos que estão por trás dos populismos e sua relação com a legitimidade do direito internacional e o viés tradicional de aquisição. Em segundo lugar, sinaliza-se o papel central do ACP como o principal instrumento internacional para enfrentar o neoprotecionismo, e se concentra na natureza sutil da maioria das barreiras de aquisição e como o mecanismo de revisão atual não consegue enfrentar eficientemente possíveis infrações e garantir a autonomia dos Estados. Por fim, faz-se uma proposta de reforma quanto ao funcionamento dos meca nismos de revisão do GPA através da criação de um sistema de revisão mista.

Deficiencias e incoherencias en la transposición de la normativa europea sobre conflicto de interés por la Ley de Contratos del Sector Público

The 9/2917 Public procurement Act sets as one of its main targets the creation of an ethical environment for the development of the public purchasing strategy. Even though this is made clear from the very beginning of the text and can be appreciated at different point throughout the wording of the rule, this objective has its mainly exemplified in article 64 and the regulation of conflicts of interest for the first time in a public procurement norm in Spain. However, the transposition with regard to this subject of Directive 2014/24 carried out by the Spanish legislator shows certain shortcomings and incongruencies that have significant consequences. On the basis of a preliminary analysis of conflicts of interest as a phenomenon and the foundations of its EU regulation, this article evidences that the national norm undertakes a misguided approach to the phenomenon that reproduces, disregarding the principles and objectives that inspire the EU law in the field, a regulatory structure on conflicts of interests that presents poor developments compared to the previous norm and relegates contracting authorities to a passive position in the fight against corruption, undermining the effectiveness of the EU procurement DirectivesLa Ley 9/2017 tiene como uno de sus fines principales el asegurar un entorno normativo íntegro para el desarrollo de las políticas de contratación. Esto, que se manifiesta en el preámbulo de la norma y que se puede apreciar en diferentes novedades regulatorias a lo largo de su articulado, tiene sin embargo su principal baluarte en el artículo 64 y la regulación, por primera vez de manera específica en la normativa de compra pública en nuestro país, del conflicto de interés. Sin embargo, la transposición que el legislador español hace de la normativa europea en la materia que representa la Directiva 2014/24 muestra determinadas deficiencias e incongruencias que tienen importantes implicaciones. Partiendo de un análisis del conflicto de interés como fenómeno y de los pilares de su regulación comunitaria, el presente artículo pone en evidencia que la norma nacional se basa en una aproximación errónea al fenómeno que reproduce, ajena a los principios y fines que inspiran el derecho europeo, un sistema regulatorio del conflicto de interés con escasos desarrollos con respecto a la normativa previa, que relega al la entidad adjudicadora a una posición pasiva en la lucha contra la corrupción y desvirtúa la estrategia comunitaria al respecto