European Union: Slovakia Adopts the Euro
(Jan. 5, 2009) January 1, 2009, marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the EU common currency, the euro, which was instituted six months after the establishment of the European Central Bank. The Bank introduced the banknotes and coins in 2002. In addition, on January 1, 2009, Slovakia becomes the 16th EU Member to […]
Contributor:
Papademetriou, Theresa
Date:2009-01-05
Article
Slovak Republic: New Public Entertainment Rules
(Dec. 24, 2008) On November 24, 2008, Ivan Gasparovic, the President of the Slovak Republic, signed a new Law on Organizing Public Sports and Tourism Events. The Law is aimed at improving safety at sports arenas and making sports fans' behavior at stadiums more civilized by prescribing stricter rules for spectators, increasing the responsibility of […]
Contributor:
Roudik, Peter
Date:2008-12-24
Article
China/Slovak Republic: Memorandum on Customs Duties Signed
(Nov. 10, 2016) On November 5, 2016, China and the Slovak Republic concluded a memorandum to strengthen their relationship in the area of customs duties, with the goal of boosting bilateral trade. (Slovakia, China Sign Memorandum on Customs Duties Aimed to Accelerate Bilateral Trade, NEWS NOW (Nov. 6, 2016).) According to the State Secretary of […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2016-11-10
Article
Slovakia: Amendment to Identity Card Act Introduces Biometric Data
On December 30, 2021, the legislature of the Slovak Republic adopted amendments to Act 395/2019 Coll. on Identity Cards, which had been proposed by the Slovak Ministry of Interior and submitted to the parliament in the summer of 2021.As stated in the explanatory memorandum, the bill was presented in the context of the adoption of … Continue reading “Slovakia: Amendment to Identity Card Act…
Contributor:
Roudik, Peter
Date:2022-01-11
Article
Slovak Republic: Marriage Defined as Between One Man and One Woman
(June 10, 2014) On June 4, 2014, the National Council of the Slovak Republic (NCSR, the country’s parliament) adopted an amendment to the Slovak Constitution to define marriage as “the unique bond between one man and one woman.” (Julie Deisher, Slovakia Amends Constitution to Define Marriage as Between One Man and One Woman, PAPER CHASE […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2014-06-10
Article
Slovak Republic: New Disciplinary Procedure Code Aims to Strengthen Confidence in Rule of Law
On November 11, 2021, the National Council, the parliament of the Slovak Republic, adopted Law 432/2021 on Disciplinary Rules of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Slovak Republic and Amendments and Additions to Certain Acts. This law introduced a new disciplinary procedure code for judges, prosecutors, notaries, and bailiffs in Slovakia. Most of the law’s … Continue reading “Slovak Republic: New Disciplinary Procedure Code…
Contributor:
Roudik, Peter
Date:2022-02-09
Article
Slovak Republic: Venice Commission Recommends Further Amendment of Language Law
(Nov. 12, 2010) The Slovak Republic enacted a State Language Law that became effective on September 1, 2009. The Law limited the public use of languages of minority peoples in the country, imposed fines on those who use minority languages when they “should not be used,” and held agreements concluded in languages other than Slovak […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2010-11-12
Article
Slovak Republic: Effort to Ban Same-Sex Marriage Fails
(Feb. 12, 2015) On February 7, 2015, Slovakia held a national referendum on the subject of same-sex marriage. The initiative, designed to strengthen the country’s ban on the practice, failed due to low voter participation. Instead of the 50% needed for a valid vote, only approximately 21% of those eligible took part. The questions the […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2015-02-12
Article
European Union: Denial of Entry to Head of State Ruled Not a Matter of EU Law
(June 28, 2010) On June 24, 2010, the European Commission issued a reasoned opinion in the infringement proceedings initiated by Hungary against Slovakia for denying the Hungarian President entry into its territory. The events that gave rise to the proceedings unfolded on August 29, 2009, when the Hungarian President intended to visit Slovakia to attend […]
Contributor:
Papademetriou, Theresa
Date:2010-06-28
Article
Court of Justice of the European Union; European Union: Challenges to Mandatory Plan to Relocate Refugees
(Dec. 14, 2015) Several of the European Union (EU) Members States, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia have been very critical of the EU’s recently adopted plan to distribute 120,000 refugees among all the EU Member States. On September 9, 2015, the European Commission had adopted a proposal for the resettlement plan in […]
Contributor:
Papademetriou, Theresa
Date:2015-12-14
Article
Czech Republic: “Muzzle Law” Curtailing Freedom of the Press Enters into Force
(Apr. 27, 2009) On April 1, 2009, an amendment to the Czech Penal Code that prohibits the press from revealing the identity of victims of serious crime and the contents of conversations wiretapped by the police entered into force. Persons convicted of “unauthorized handling of personal data” (under section 178 of the Penal Code) face […]
Cyprus; Malta: Adoption of the Euro
(Jan. 2, 2008) As of January 1, 2008, the national currencies of two European Union Members, the pound of Cyprus and the lira of Malta, have been replaced by the euro. Thus far, 15 out of the 27 EU Members share a common currency. The two countries became full-fledged EU Members on May 1, 2004, […]
Contributor:
Papademetriou, Theresa
Date:2008-01-02
Article
Council of Europe: Anti-Human Trafficking Convention Now in Force
(Mar. 2, 2008) On February 1, 2008, the Council of Europe's (COE) Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, which opened for signature on May 16, 2005, entered into force for the first ten countries that ratified the Convention. These include COE Member States Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, and […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2008-03-02
Article
European Union: Adoption of Decision to Relocate Asylum Seekers
(Sept. 25, 2015) On September 22, 2015, the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council adopted a proposal, introduced by the European Commission on September 9, 2015, in response to the unprecedented influx of migrants who have sought refuge in the European Union during the last six months and in order to improve the situation of […]
Contributor:
Papademetriou, Theresa
Date:2015-09-25
Article
United Nations: Treaty Will Allow Children to File Rights Complaints
(Apr. 22, 2014) On April 14, 2014, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure came into force, three months after the date on which the tenth country, Costa Rica, deposited an instrument of ratification of the Protocol. (New Treaty Enables Children to Lodge Complaints with UN […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2014-04-22
Article
European Union; Switzerland: Schengen Area Accession
(Jan. 12, 2009) The Schengen acquis (body of law) came into being in 1985 when the governments of Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands signed an agreement in Schengen, Luxembourg, to establish an area free of internal borders for nationals, goods, and services. In June 1990, the five original signatories signed the Convention that […]
Contributor:
Papademetriou, Theresa
Date:2009-01-12
Article
European Union: The Netherlands in Charge of EU Presidency
(Jan. 29, 2016) On January 1, 2016, the Netherlands took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union and will be in charge of the Council agenda for the next six months. (The Netherlands and the EU Presidency, Netherlands EU Presidency 2016 website (last visited Jan. 29, 2016).) The 2009 Lisbon EU […]
Contributor:
Papademetriou, Theresa
Date:2016-01-29
Article
ICC: Jurisdiction over Crime of Aggression Activated
(Dec. 26, 2017) The Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) met at United Nations headquarters from December 4 to 14, 2017. (Press Release, Assembly Activates Court’s Jurisdiction over Crime of Aggression, ICC website (Dec. 15, 2017).) The Assembly “is the Court’s management oversight and legislative body and […]
Contributor:
Johnson, Constance
Date:2017-12-26
Article
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development: New Study on Voluntary Disclosure of Offshore Assets
(Nov. 8, 2010) In September 2010, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) issued a new study on programs for the voluntary disclosure of offshore undisclosed income and/or assets under the tax administrations of various countries. (OECD, OFFSHORE VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS, GUIDANCE AND POLICY ADVICE (Sept. 2010), http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/60/31/46244704.pdf.) As the Foreword and Introduction […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2010-11-08
Article
European Court of Human Rights; Italy: Ruling on Embryo Screening
(Aug. 31, 2012) On August 25, 2012, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Italy's ban on embryonic screening violates article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Article 8 is on the right to respect for family and private life. (Keith Herting, Europe Rights Court Condemns Italy Ban on Embryo Screening, […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2012-08-31
Article
Sweden: Parliament Approves Resolution on Armenian Genocide
(Mar. 16, 2010) On March 11, 2010, the Swedish Parliament adopted by a majority of one vote (131-130) a resolution that recognizes as genocide the killing of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire, in the years between 1914 and 1923. The opposition in the Parliament secured the resolution's passage by garnering the support of several MPs […]
Contributor:
Zeldin, Wendy
Date:2010-03-16
Article
European Union; Spain: Temporary Limitation of Free Movement of Romanian Workers
(Aug. 17, 2011) On August 11, 2011, the European Commission allowed Spain to temporarily restrict the access of Romanian workers to its labor market. (2011/503/EU: Commission Decision of 11 August 2011 Authorising Spain to Temporarily Suspend the Application of Articles 1 to 6 of Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 of the European Parliament and of the […]
Contributor:
Papademetriou, Theresa
Date:2011-08-17
Article
Belarus: Flat Taxation System Introduced
(July 30, 2009) In 2009, the Republic of Belarus joined the countries that have a flat income tax system. Previously, income tax rates for individuals as defined under the Law of the Republic of Belarus on Natural Persons' Income Tax of December 21, 1991, No. 1327-XII (hereinafter Income Tax Law) provided for a progressive scale […]
Contributor:
Kaliuta, Natalia
Date:2009-07-30
Article
European Union: 23 Member States Sign Common Notification to Deepen Defense Cooperation
(Nov. 28, 2017) Member States of the European Union (EU) have taken a formal step toward closer cooperation in defense and security. On November 13, 2017, 23 of the 28 EU Member States signed a common notification on the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) on security and defense and submitted it to the High Representative of […]
