Dr. Laurent Pech

Dr. Laurent Pech
Jean Monnet Lecturer in EU Public Law
Office : Room 501, Floor 3, Tower 2.
Telephone : 353 (0) 91 493256 (Ext. 3256 internally)
Email: laurent.pech@nuigalway.ie
Office hours: Monday 10am-12pm.
Laurent Pech
joined the School of Law in 2004 and currently teaches EU Constitutional Law, EU Economic and Social Law, EU Competition Law, EU Fundamental Rights Law and Introduction to Law & Regulation. He holds a Doctorate in Law (with Honours) and
a Master's degree in Public Law (with Honours) from the Faculty
of Law of Aix-en-Provence (France). He graduated in 1996
from the Institute of Political Studies of Aix-en-Provence (with
Honours, Highest Grade in the Public Law Department) and he was
an Erasmus student at the University of Limerick (1994-1995) and
an exchange student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1996-1997).
From 1998 to 2003, he taught a variety of courses (including Administrative
Law, Constitutional Law, European Union Law, General Public Law
and Public Litigation) at the Faculty of Law as well as at the
Institute of Political Studies. During 2003-2004, he was a Postdoctoral
Research Fellow at the Canada Research Chair on Globalization,
Citizenship and Democracy.
Dr. Pech successively held the position of lawyer to the Office
of the High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1999) and the
position of Legal Clerk for Professor Favoreu (one of the three
international judges of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina
(2000-2001)). In 2003, he was a Legal Expert on EU Structural Funds
for the EC Phare Program at the Latvian Ministry of Finances. In
2004, he taught EC law to Bulgarian magistrates in the context
of an EC project dealing with "Technical Assistance for the Preparation
of a Recruitment and Training Strategy for the Judiciary".
Laurent Pech also works for the Council of Europe as a legal expert
on the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
In September 2008, he was appointed an Emile Noël Fellow at New York University School of Law for the academic year 2008-09. In May 2009, he was appointed a Visiting Scholar at UC Berkeley’s EU Center of Excellence.
Since 2008, Dr. Pech is also an external examiner for the School of Law, Bangor University (Wales) and an Associate Research Fellow at the Institut Louis Favoreu, Faculty of Law, Aix en Provence (France): http://www.gerjc.u-3mrs.fr/
He is currently a member of two major EU-funded research networks: (i) Led by the Dutch University of Tilburg, the EuNaCon research project (http://www.tilburguniversity.nl/faculties/law/research/ticom/research/EuNaCon/) aims to identify and analyse national constitutional rules and principles in order to formulate a conceptual view of European constitutionalism that is firmly rooted in national constitutional traditions while coping with constitutional diversity; (ii) Led by the Italian University of Bologna, the Menu for Justice project, which associates 50 institutions in 30 European countries, aims to develop a common judicial training curriculum for lawyers and judges.
Dr. Pech is one of the contributing editors of the International Law Prof. Blog. His most recent papers are generally available for download on the website of the Social Science Research Network.
PAPERS & PRESENTATIONS ON THE TREATY OF LISBON
- "The EU’s Lisbon Treaty: Some thoughts on the “Irish Legal Guarantees", Blog of the European Journal of International Law, 28 Sept. 2009, available online.
- “De Lisbonne 1 à Lisbonne 2: Chronique du second référendum en Irlande”, Question d’Europe no. 145, Policy Papers de la Fondation Robert Schuman, 7 September 2009. Accessible online.
- Paper on “Legal Aspects of EU Treaties Ratification in Ireland”, Conference on Il trattato di Lisbona tra conferme e novità organised by the Faculty of Political Science, University of Messina, 25 June 2009. PP presentation accessible online.
- Paper on “The Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, and the Rule of Law”, Conference on The Law of the Lisbon Treaty organised by the Irish Centre for European Law, Dublin, 11 May 2009. PP presentation accessible online.
- “Référendum sur le Traité de Lisbonne” in Y. Bertoncini et al., Dictionnaire Critique de l’Union Europeenne (Paris : Armand Colin, 2008), pp. 366-368.
- Paper on “The Lisbon Treaty: Old Wine, New Bottle”, Conference on The Treaty of Lisbon and the Irish Referendum organised by the Irish Society for European Law, 18 April 2008.
- Laurent Pech contributed to the report of the Institute of International and European Affairs on "Ireland's Future After Lisbon. Issues, Options, Implications", November 2008, available for download here.
- "Le référendum en Irlande pour ratifier les traités européens : obligatoire ou coutumier ?", Question d'Europe, Fondation Robert Schuman, Octobre 2008. This study was reproduced in the Revista de Estudos Europeus, no. 4, July-December 2008, pp. 99-113. Accessible online.
- "After Ireland's 'No': Long Live the EU Lisbon Treaty?", Jurist, June 18, 2008. Accessible
online.
- "What "No" Means for Ireland", NUI Galway Press Release, June 13, 2008. Accessible
online.
- "L'Irlande va t-elle-dire non à l’Europe ?", Blog français de droit constitutionnel, June 10, 2008. Accessible
online.
- Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs, Debate on the Lisbon Treaty, Plenary sitting in Galway, April 17, 2008. Accessible
online.
- "The EU Lisbon Treaty: Old Wine, New Bottle?", Jurist, April 14, 2008. Accessible
online.
Special edition of the Irish Journal of European Law to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the EC Treaty. Download the table of contents or the editorial.
- Dr. Pech organised a conference entitled: "50 years of the Treaty of Rome
- Reflecting on past achievements and future challenges".
- "The EU at 50: Dancing in the Streets?",
Jurist March
22 2007. Accessible
online.
AREAS OF RESEARCH
- European Union Law
- Comparative Public Law
- Human Rights
- Communication Law
COURSES TAUGHT
- EU Law I
- EU Law II
- EU Human Rights Law
- EU Competition Law
- Law, Regulation and Policy
PUBLICATIONS
Work in Progress
- The EU Treaty of Lisbon and the Irish Legal Guarantees
- The Rule of Law as a Rule of Law in the EU
- “The Law of Genocide Denial in Europe: Towards a European-wide Criminal Prohibition”
Books
Chapters
- “Ireland and the Lisbon Treaty: A Legal Analysis of the National Ratification Process,” in Il Trattato di Lisbona fra conferme e novità (forthcoming).
- “The Law of Holocaust Denial in Europe: Towards a (qualified) European-Wide Prohibition,” in T. Hochmann and L. Hennebel (eds), Denial and the Law (OUP, forthcoming).
- With R. Canet and M. Stewart, “France's Burning Issue: Understanding the Urban Riots of November 2005,” to be published in B. Bowden and M. David (eds), Riot: Resistance and Rebellion in Britain and France. 1381 to the Present (Palgrave, forthcoming).
- National Report on Public Services in Irish Law, EU-funded research network on “Mapping the Public Services” (publication forthcoming).
- “Fondement du droit de la presse et des médias” [Foundations of media law] in B. Beignier et al. (eds), Traité de droit de la presse et des medias (Paris: LexisNexis, 2009), pp. 69-136.
- “Référendum sur le Traité de Lisbonne” in Y. Bertoncini et al., Dictionnaire Critique de l’Union Europeenne (Paris: Armand Colin, 2008), pp. 366-368.
- “Socio-economic rights jurisprudence in France” in M. Langford (ed), Social Rights Jurisprudence. Emerging Trends in International and Comparative Law (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008), pp. 267-275.
- “National Report Ireland”, in H. Koeck and M. Karollus (eds), Preparing the EU for the Future? Necessary Revisions of Primary Law after the non-ratification of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, FIDE XXIII Congress, vol. 1, Vienne, Facultas.wuv/Nomos, pp. 213-236. Working draft available here.
- Rapport “Liberté d’expression aux Etats-Unis” in Annuaire International de Justice Constitutionnelle (Presses Universitaires d’Aix-Marseille, 2008).
- "Genocide-denial laws: A misguided attempt to criminalize history". Translated into Turkish and published in Ifade Özgürlü?ü (Istanbul: Ileti?im, 2007), pp. 159-170.
- With P. Duparc Portier, "The Portrayal of the Judicial Process in the French and Irish Media", in A. Masson and K. O'Connor (eds.), Representations of Justice (Brussels: Peter Lang, 2007), p. 95-114.
- " Freedom of the Press: A Comparative Perspective " in
Eoin O'Dell,
Freedom of Expression (
forthcoming)
- " Une métaphore américaine : The marketplace
of ideas " in Michel Mathien (ed),
La liberté d'expression
face à l'évolution économique libérale (Bruxelles,
Bruylant, 2006), p. 59-77.
- " La liberté d’expression dans le société de
l’information ", in M. Mathien (ed.),
La
Société de
l’information. Entre mythes et réalités
(Bruxelles, Bruylant, 2005), p. 97-131.
- " Le droit à l’épreuve de la
gouvernance. Légitimation de la privatisation du droit
? ", in R. Canet and J. Duchastel,
La régulation néolibérale. Crise
ou ajustement? ( Montréal, Athéna éditions,
2004), p. 51-80.
- " Rule of Law in France’, in R.P. Peerenboom (ed.),
Asian Discourses of Rule of Law. Theories
and Implementation of Rule of Law in Twelve Asian Countries,
France and the US,
(London: Routledge, 2004), p. 79-112. Available
here.
- " Linguistic
Rights for Minorities in France’,
in T. McGonagle, B. Davis Noll, M. Price (eds.),
Minority-Language
Related Broadcasting and Legislation in the OSCE, Programme
in Comparative Media Law and Policy (Oxford University), Institute
for Information Law (Amsterdam University), Study commissioned
by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, April 2003,
p. 204-211 (study available at:
www.ivir.nl).
- With R. Canet: « Fédération ou Confédération
? Les cas canadien et européen » (Federal State
or Confederal State? A Study on Canada and the European Union),
in J. Duchastel (dir.),
Fédéralisme et mondialisation.
L’avenir
de la démocratie et de la citoyenneté ( Montréal,
Athéna Éditions, 2003), p. 95-115.
- "Le
remède au gouvernement des juges : Le judicial
self-restraint ? " (Government by Judiciary and Judicial
Self-Restraint in France and in the US), in S. Brondel, N.
Foulquier, L. Heuschling (dir.),
Gouvernement
des juges et démocratie (Paris,
Presses universitaires de la Sorbonne, 2001), p. 63-113. Available
here.
Articles
- "Fundamental Rights Protection in the EU post Lisbon Treaty", Policy Paper no. 173, Foundation Robert Schuman. Available here:
http://www.robert-schuman.eu/question_europe.php?num=qe-173
- “The Law of Holocaust Denial in Europe: Towards a (qualified) European-Wide Prohibition,” NYU Jean Monnet Working Papers no. 10/09. Available here: http://centers.law.nyu.edu/jeanmonnet/papers/09/091001.html
- “The Rule of Law as a Constitutional Principle of the EU”, Jean Monnet Working Papers no. 04/09. Accessible online.
- "The Fabulous Destiny of the EC Treaty: From Treaty to Constitution to Treaty Again?", (2008) 15 Irish Journal of European Law 49. Available at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1319384
- "The European Project: Neither Neo-liberal, Nor Socialist", (2007) 36-37 The Irish Review 95. Available at SSRN:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1000859
- With A.-L. Hinds, "When the Public Interest Masks Lawyers' Interests: Luxembourg's Failure to Adhere to Directive 98/5", (2007) Irish Journal of European Law (forthcoming). Available at SSRN:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1019802
- Case of Zeturf c/ PMU, CA Paris, 4 janvier 2006: "La police française de l’internet à la conquête du paradis du jeu maltais" (2006) 13 Revue Lamy Droit de l’immatériel No. 378
- "Policing Online Gambling: The French Attempt at Restricting Gambling Services from Malta" . Revue Lamy Droit de l’immatériel, No. 378, 2006 Available at SSRN:
http://ssrn.com/abstract=980711
- "Sur l'affaire O'Grady et al. c/ Apple ou de l'art de distinguer entre
journalistes, journalistes-blogueurs et simple blogueurs en matière
de protection des sources" (2006)
Légipresse 161.
- Chronique Irlande, "L'affaire des "contributions illégales" ou
l'histoire d'un jugement d'inconstitutionalité à un
milliard d'euros" (2006) 67
Revue francaise de droit constitutionnel 619.
- Conflits de lois et compétence
internationale des tribunaux français" [Conflict of Laws in Communication
Law] in
LexisNexis Juris-Classeur Communication, No. 3000, 2006 (36,832
words).
- "L’affaire Yahoo! vue d’Amérique" (2006)
14
Revue Lamy Droit de l’immatériel
No. 424, p. 61-65.
- "Chronique Irlande" (2004) 59
Revue
francaise de droit constitutionel, p. 663-669.
- "Approches européenne et américaine de la
liberté d’expression dans la société de l’information" (July-August 2004)
Communication
- Commerce Electronique, p.13-19.
- "Le remède au ’’déficit démocratique’’:
Une nouvelle gouvernance pour l’Union européenne?" [The Solution
to the
’Democratic Deficit’: a New Governance for the European Union?]
(2003)
Journal
of European Integration, p. 131-150. Available
here.
- "Du respect des symboles de la République imposé par la loi", (2003) 5 Communication commerce électronique, p. 16-22.
- " Secret Défense " (Information
Related to National Security),
Juris-Classeur
Communication,
n°3421,
10/2002.
- " La liberté de communication en droit comparé " (Freedom
of Communication in Comparative Law),
Juris-Classeur
Communication,
n°1250, 08/2002.
- " La liberté d’expression
des agents publics " (Freedom
of Expression for Civil Servants),
Juris-Classeur
Communication,
n°2600, 08/2002.
- " Conflits entre diverses
conceptions de la liberté d’expression
sur l’internet - vers l’imposition d’une
lex americana en matière de lutte contre le discours
raciste ? " (Hate press on the Internet),
Légipresse 2002, n°188-II,
p. 5-10.
- " La garantie internationale
de l’ordre constitutionnel
de Bosnie-Herzégovine " (The International Guarantee
of the Constitutional Order of Bosnia-Herzegovina),
Revue
française
de droit constitutionnel, n°42, 2000, p. 421-440. Available
here.
- With
N. Maziau, " L’administration internationale
de Bosnie-Herzégovine - Un modèle pour
le Kosovo ? " (The International Administration of
Bosnia-Herzegovina - A
Model for Kosovo ?),
Civitas Europa, n°4, March 2000,
p. 51-98.
- ’Is Dayton Failing? Reforming Media in Bosnia-Herzegovina’,
International Journal of Communications
Law and Policy, Issue
4, Winter 1999-2000 (available
here).
- " Les
dispositions transitoires en droit constitutionnel " (Transitory
Provisions in Constitutional Law),
Revue
de la Recherche Juridique, n°14, 1999, p. 1407-1422.
Casenotes
- Case of
Zeturf v. PMU, CA Malta, 9 January 2007 and Case C-338/04
Placanica,
ECJ, 6 March 2007: "Rien ne va plus. Le droit communautaire au secours
de Zeturf" (2007) 27
Revue Lamy Droit de l'immatériel No.
902.
- Case T-306/01,
Yusuf and Al Barakaat International
Foundation v. Council of the EU and Commission of the EC and Case T-315/01,
Kadi v. Council and Commission, 21
September 2005: ""Trying to Have it Both Ways" - On the First Judgments of
the Court of First Instance Concerning EC Acts Adopted in the Fight against
International Terrorism"
Irish Human Rights Law Review (available
here).
- Case of
Scherrer c/ SARL Acet, CA Paris, 26 avril 2006: "Contrefaçon
de marque sur internet et compétence des juridictions françaises:
la (saine) substitution du critère de destination au critère de
l’accessibilité" (2006)
Revue Lamy
Droit de l’immatériel No. 523.
- Case of
Zeturf
c/ PMU, CA Paris, 4 janvier 2006: "La police française de l’internet à
la conquête du paradis du jeu maltais" (2006) 13
Revue Lamy Droit de l’immatériel No. 378.
- Case of
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Studios Inc. et al. v. Grokster, Ltd., et al
(2005) U.S. No. 04-480: "Une
victoire à la phyrrus pour l’industrie du divertissement ? La distribution
de logiciel de peer-to-peer à l’épreuve de la Cour suprême américaine"
(2005) 8
Revue Lamy Droit de
l'immatériel
No. 209.
- Case of
Editions
Belin et al. c/ Editions Muller Ruschlikon et al., Cass. 1er
civ., 25 janvier 2005: "Contrefaçon et compétence internationale des
tribunaux français : la notion de dommage imminent" (2005) 4
Revue Lam
y Droit de l'immatériel No. 107.
- Case of
von
Hannover v. Germany [2004] ECHR 294: "La princesse Caroline de Monaco
en défenderesse du droit français (2005)
Juris-Classeur Périodique Edition
Générale, I-143, note 10.
- Case of
Colombani v. France [2002] ECHR 521: "L’offense à chef d’Etat
étranger devant la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme" (2003)
Juris-Classeur
Périodique Edition Générale, II-10136, p. 1525-1528.
- Case of
Ekin v. France [2001] ECHR 473: "Le régime des publications
étrangères face à la protection européenne de la liberté d’expression" (February 22, 2002)
Les
Petites Affiches, p. 12-20.
Working Papers, Conference Papers & Miscellaneous
- “
Malitiis non est indulgendum.
On The European Union’s Alleged Neo-Liberal Bias”
,
Canada
Research Chair on Globalization, Citizenship and Democracy, Working
Paper 2006-02. Available
here.
- "Non-sense: France's No to the European Constitution",
Jurist May
31 2005. Accessible
online.
- "French Riots: A Failure of the Elite, Not the Republic",
Jurist
November
16 2005. Accessible
online.
- " The EU Constitution and French Referendum: Law v.
Politics",
Jurist
May
11 2005. Accessible
online.
- "Understanding the French No", Speech at the Institute of European Affairs, July 4, 2005, available
here.
- 'Freedom of Expression and Disability', Symposium on
Human
Rights & Disability Discrimination:
Exploring the Value Added by the ECHR, September 25,
2004 available
here.
- 'The Significance of the EU Constitutional
Treaty
with Particular Reference to the Charter of Fundamental Rights', Institute of
European Affairs, July 4, 2004, available
here.
- ’Law & Governance: Towards a ’Privatization’ of
Law’,
Canada Research Chair
on Globalization, Citizenship and Democracy, March 2004 (available
here).
- ’Freedom of Expression in the Information Society: An
American Approach v. an European Approach?’,
Canada
Research Chair on Globalization, Citizenship and Democracy,
December 2003 (available
here).
- ’The
European Union between ’Democratic Deficit’ and ’New
Governance’,
Canada Research
Chair on Globalization, Citizenship and Democracy,
October 2002 (available
here).