Papers by Nicolas Rouiller
This article (in Russian) deals with economic sanctions enacted in order to create pressure on a ... more This article (in Russian) deals with economic sanctions enacted in order to create pressure on a government or on definite persons. When the economic sanctions have been enacted by the Security Council of the United Nations («UN sanctions»), the Member States are legally obliged to implement these sanctions. However, as of 2008, the Court of Justice of the European Union and, as of 2012, the European Court of Human Rights have judged that in spite of their binding nature, the UN sanctions do not allow Member States (or the European Union) to breach fundamental rights (procedural rights and, for example, the right to property, which requires respecting the principles of proportionality and equality).
These courts have actually neutralized several effects of the UN sanctions; to this extent, they have resolved in favor of human rights the conflict between the international obligation to implement UN sanctions and the fundamental rights. When economic sanctions are decided by a State or a group of States (e.g. the EU) outside an international obligation («unilateral sanctions»), i.e. when sanctions are not decided by the UN Security Council, there is no conflict between two international obligations. Accordingly, if the persons targeted by unilateral sanctions seize courts to defend their fundamental rights,
further (and bold) developments of the legal science may be expected. (A completed version of the article was published in French in June 2016 in Mélanges C. Rouiller, Basel 2016).
This chapter presents in a very concentrated manner the fundamentals of major legal instruments u... more This chapter presents in a very concentrated manner the fundamentals of major legal instruments used in contemporary finance, notably futures and options. It also deals extremely succinctly with some aspects of monetary law and of cryptocurrencies.
This chapter 12 presents the main types of security rights, in an approach starting from internat... more This chapter 12 presents the main types of security rights, in an approach starting from international instruments (conventions, model laws, etc.). it deals with pledges, personal guarantees, fiduciary transfers of ownership and trusts, escrow relationships (incl. the current and potential role of blockchain and decentralized systems), rights of retention. (Letters of credit are dealt with in Chapter 8 of the same book). Designed mainly for students in management, it can be useful for lawyers interested in a presentation that starts with international sources.
This chapter presents the fundamentals of company law. It emphasizes the role of limited liabili... more This chapter presents the fundamentals of company law. It emphasizes the role of limited liability as crucial distinction between the various types of companies in all legal systems (from partnerships to corporations). It deals with the formation and dissolution of companies, as well as with the duties and liabilities of directors (duty of loyalty, duty of obedience and duty of care).
This chapter deals with general rules of contract law in various legal systems. It is the chapter... more This chapter deals with general rules of contract law in various legal systems. It is the chapter 6 of the manual "International Business Law" designed mainly for multinational audiences of students in management. The purpose is to present rules in a sufficiently general manner so as to describe the legal realities that exist in most legal systems, whereas it is endeavoured to do it with as much substance as possible (i.e. not purely abstractly). To reach this balance, the presentation uses as many international sources as possible.
Breaking-off negotiations. Freedom and duties to act in good faith. Fundamental principles and il... more Breaking-off negotiations. Freedom and duties to act in good faith. Fundamental principles and illustrations from cases of the Swiss and French judicial practices. Consequences regarding the compensation. Nature and content of pre-contractual agreements (letters of intent, heads of agreement, with clauses that organize negotiations).
Lays down the fundamentals of pre-contractual liability in Swiss law (in the context of alternati... more Lays down the fundamentals of pre-contractual liability in Swiss law (in the context of alternative forms of non-contractual liabilities). Exact definition of the illegal action (consisting not in breaking-off the negotiations, but in misleading on the parameters of decision). Consequences in terms of description and calculation of compensation.
Panorama des interactions entre propriété intellectuelle et contrats. -- Rapport suisse présenté ... more Panorama des interactions entre propriété intellectuelle et contrats. -- Rapport suisse présenté à l'Association Henri Capitant des Amis de la culture juridique française sur le thème "Contrat et immatériel" en 2014. Version mise à jour et publiée en 2015 dans le volume des Journées internationales de l'Association.
This article deals with economic sanctions enacted in order to create pressure on a government or... more This article deals with economic sanctions enacted in order to create pressure on a government or on definite persons. When the economic sanctions have been enacted by the Security Council of the United Nations (“UN Sanctions”), the Member States are legally obliged to implement these sanctions. However, as of 2008, the Court of Justice of the European Union and, as of 2012, the European Court of Human Rights have judged that in spite of their binding nature, the UN Sanctions do not allow Member States (or the European Union) to breach fundamental rights (procedural rights and, for example, the right to property, which requires respecting the principles of proportionality and equality). These courts have actually cancelled some effects of the UN Sanctions; to this extent, they have solved in favor of human rights the conflict between the international obligation to implement UN sanctions and the fundamental rights. When economic sanctions are decided by a State or a group of States (e.g. the EU) outside an international obligation (“unilateral sanctions”), i.e. when sanctions are not decided by the UN Security Council, there is no conflict between two international obligations. Accordingly, if the persons targeted by unilateral sanctions seize courts to defend their fundamental rights, further (and bold) developments of the legal science may be expected. [Article published by EurAsian Scientific Editions, Hong Kong/Tallinn 2016 and by Helbing&Lichtenhahn, Basel 2016; also published in Russian in the journal "Scientific Works of the Russian Academy of Advocacy and Notariate", Dec. 2015, pp. 6-13.
Présentation systématique de la jurisprudence de la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme sur le ... more Présentation systématique de la jurisprudence de la Cour européenne des droits de l'homme sur le droit de répliquer, notamment dans des affaires concernant le Suisse. Mise en oeuvre par les juridictions nationales suisses. Recherche de l'équilibre entre efficacité et droit d'être entendu. Version française de l'article paru dans Russian Yearbook of the European Convention on Human Rights 2015 pp. 238-258
Le présent ouvrage compare le contenu des normes formulées dans les Principes du droit européen d... more Le présent ouvrage compare le contenu des normes formulées dans les Principes du droit européen des contrats avec le droit suisse des obligations. La concordance est frappante sur de nombreux points, spécialement quant aux règles non codifiées du droit suisse, dont beaucoup sont fondamentales. Le texte des Principes peut ainsi servir à cerner les règles générales non codifiées en droit suisse, et notamment sur les points suivants : le principe de la confiance et sa relation avec la théorie de la volonté, la responsabilité précontractuelle (culpa in contrahendo), l’interprétation et le complétement du contrat, la clausula rebus sic stantibus, les problèmes posés par la résolution et la liquidation du contrat pour inexécution (telle la restitution des prestations), la réparation et l’évaluation du dommage, le sort du contrat illicite et les questions liées à la représentation (comme l’imputation de la connaissance, l’étendue des pouvoirs ou les conflits d’intérêts). L’ouvrage établit la convergence entre le texte des Principes et plus de cent cinquante règles du droit suisse non écrit (dont près de quatre-vingt sont commentées de manière détaillée). Sur d’autres points, la comparaison avec les Principes permet une réflexion critique sur le droit suisse et suggère parfois des évolutions de lege lata.
Ainsi, dans l’ensemble, ce livre peut être qualifié de guide pratique et critique du droit suisse des obligations, en particulier de ses règles générales non codifiées, à la lumière des Principes du droit européen des contrats.
Préfacé par les professeurs François Dessemontet et Ernst Kramer, l’ouvrage est muni de deux index et de plusieurs tableaux systématiques qui en facilitent l’usage.
Drafts by Nicolas Rouiller
The hidden reserves, practiced with passion by Swiss companies for more than a century, were moti... more The hidden reserves, practiced with passion by Swiss companies for more than a century, were motivated mainly by objectives that appear today to be fully in line with contemporary conceptions shaped by Corporate Social Responsibility thinking. The board of directors was essentially prudent and even pessimistic in presenting the accounts, so as to ensure an increased stability when the company had to face troubled times: in practical terms, the often very substantial hidden resources allowed to reduce volatility in results (and in dividends) and, at least in limited downturns, allowed the management to renounce practicing brutal disinvestments or lay-off of employees; the very prudent, systematically pessimistic way of presenting accounts protected also creditors' interests. In general, it gave rather good results, from the point of view of long-term entrepreneurial successes of companies. Also, this did not lead to significant misuses in terms of remuneration of top-managers: pessimistic presentations of annual results do not justify claims for excessive bonuses. It was not a perfect system: the hidden character of such reserves, quite typical for the Swiss cult of secret and confidentiality in business, does not comply with modern ideas on transparency. It is probably possible today to reach the same results as hidden reserves led to, if the boards of directors decide to build up visible (disclosed) provisions, what they should be allowed to do, for example, for contingent liabilities even of a low probability and for probable future expenses. Swiss accounting law permits such provisions as a principle. To the extent that " modern " accounting standards like IFRS and their followers do not allow such provisions, they may be considered to be detrimental and dangerous; principles other than the principle of prudence, like the religion of an allegedly “true and fair view”, are finally not scientific; they are largely illusory. Of course, building up visible provisions requires from the board – in contrast to hidden reserves – the courage to defend them towards impatient shareholders and tax authorities with their respective short-term appetites for high dividends and revenue. Prudence requires courage. This courageous prudence is a very practical and efficient instrument for companies that wish to implement the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility. [Article approved for the collective book CSR - New Challenged, to be edited by I. Tchotourian and to be published by Bruylant; after postponements, the publication of the book appears to have been suspended and eventually abandonned. The article is quoted in Raffournier, The Role and Current Status of IFRS in the Completion of National Accounting Rules – Evidence from Switzerland, in the journal "Accounting in Europe", 2017, and in Rouiller/Bauen/Bernet, La société anonyme suisse, 2nd ed, Schulthess 2017, chap. 6]
Books by Nicolas Rouiller
Droit et gestion d'entreprise / Unternehmensführung und recht, 2020
Ce bref chapitre de livre traite des cryptomonnaies, notamment des structures juridiques utilisée... more Ce bref chapitre de livre traite des cryptomonnaies, notamment des structures juridiques utilisées en Suisse (fondations ou sociétés) et de différents aspects relevant du droit civil (notion de paiement), du droit administratif (TVA, fiscalité directe, surveillance des marchés financiers, organisation de la lutte contre le blanchiment) et du droit pénal. Il s'agit d'une introduction permettant au lecteur non-spécialiste de se familiariser avec le domaine, tout comme il permet aux protagonistes actifs dans ce domaine de saisir les grandes lignes du traitement juridique qui s'applique à lui. / This brief chapter deals with cryptocurrencies, in particular with legal structures used in Switzerland (foundations or companies) and with several aspects of contract law (notion of payment), administrative law (VAT, tax on profit and capital, supervision of financial markets, fight against money laundering) and criminal law. It aims to facilitate the understanding of this field for non-specialists, and might enable active protagonists to perceive the general lines of how classical legal concepts are implemented in relation with it.
La société anonyme suisse (2e éd.), 2017
Cette partie du chapitre 8 de l'ouvrage "La société anonyme suisse (droit commercial, droit compt... more Cette partie du chapitre 8 de l'ouvrage "La société anonyme suisse (droit commercial, droit comptable, responsabilité, loi sur la fusion, droit boursier, droit fiscal)" (2e éd., 2017) présente les critères qui aboutissent à reconnaître, ou non, qu'un organe de la société anonyme est responsable pour le dommage subi par la société, par un actionnaire ou par un créancier. / This part of chapter 8 of the book (in French) "The Swiss Corporations (Company Law, Accounting Law, Liability, Merger Law, Stock Exchange Law, Tax Law, 2nd ed., 2017) lays down the criteria that enable to ascertain whether a manager (board member, director) is liable for the financial harm suffered by the company, by a shareholder or by a creditor.
This chapter presents the fundamental concepts of agency (representation of a principal by a repr... more This chapter presents the fundamental concepts of agency (representation of a principal by a representative or agent). It deals with situations where representation is necessary (corporations, but also minors or other persons not allowed to conclude contracts by themselves) as well as those where it is purely voluntary. It differentiates explicit from implied and apparent powers of representations, all situations to distinguish from representation without powers (and liability of false representative). It describes conflicts of interest and the ways to handle them. It finally deals with sub-agency and imputation of knowledge. It is the 7th chapter of the book Legal Instruments and Environment of International Business, 2nd ed., 2018).
This chapter offers a concentrated overview of judicial and administrative procedures (especially... more This chapter offers a concentrated overview of judicial and administrative procedures (especially with regard to litigations). It aims notably at assisting managers to efficiently interact with lawyers (barristers) in charge of litigations (e.g. about the collection of evidence, the resources to allow, the time constraints, etc.). It may also enable them to opt (or not) for arbitration or alternative ways of solving disputes. (In that book, urgent injunctions are mainly dealt with in chapter 10 [subchapter 2] related to intellectual property.)
This chapter presents the contract of sale, from the conclusion (making of the deal) to issues of... more This chapter presents the contract of sale, from the conclusion (making of the deal) to issues of fulfillment and non-fulfillment (grace period, compensation for breach, calculation of damages). It describes Incoterms and relation between such clauses and other (non-standard) contractual clauses. It also gives and overview trade finance, in particular of the letters of credit. It uses mainly international sources (e.g. CISG, ICC Uniform Custom and Practice for Documentary Credits). It is mainly designed for students in management but can be useful for lawyers interested in an overview based on international sources.
This chapter defines the fundamentals of criminal law with regard to business contexts. It descri... more This chapter defines the fundamentals of criminal law with regard to business contexts. It describes the characteristics of criminal law (role of strict legality, role of criminal intent) in contrast to other fields of law, and proposes (internationally acceptable) definitions of classical business crimes (embezzlement, fraud, extortion, etc.), and refers to some more recently criminalized behaviors (e.g. money laundering, insider information, international corruption). It also lays down widespread standards in criminal procedure (fair trial, right to remain silent, client-attorney privilege, role of reasonable doubt).
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Papers by Nicolas Rouiller
These courts have actually neutralized several effects of the UN sanctions; to this extent, they have resolved in favor of human rights the conflict between the international obligation to implement UN sanctions and the fundamental rights. When economic sanctions are decided by a State or a group of States (e.g. the EU) outside an international obligation («unilateral sanctions»), i.e. when sanctions are not decided by the UN Security Council, there is no conflict between two international obligations. Accordingly, if the persons targeted by unilateral sanctions seize courts to defend their fundamental rights,
further (and bold) developments of the legal science may be expected. (A completed version of the article was published in French in June 2016 in Mélanges C. Rouiller, Basel 2016).
Ainsi, dans l’ensemble, ce livre peut être qualifié de guide pratique et critique du droit suisse des obligations, en particulier de ses règles générales non codifiées, à la lumière des Principes du droit européen des contrats.
Préfacé par les professeurs François Dessemontet et Ernst Kramer, l’ouvrage est muni de deux index et de plusieurs tableaux systématiques qui en facilitent l’usage.
Drafts by Nicolas Rouiller
Books by Nicolas Rouiller
These courts have actually neutralized several effects of the UN sanctions; to this extent, they have resolved in favor of human rights the conflict between the international obligation to implement UN sanctions and the fundamental rights. When economic sanctions are decided by a State or a group of States (e.g. the EU) outside an international obligation («unilateral sanctions»), i.e. when sanctions are not decided by the UN Security Council, there is no conflict between two international obligations. Accordingly, if the persons targeted by unilateral sanctions seize courts to defend their fundamental rights,
further (and bold) developments of the legal science may be expected. (A completed version of the article was published in French in June 2016 in Mélanges C. Rouiller, Basel 2016).
Ainsi, dans l’ensemble, ce livre peut être qualifié de guide pratique et critique du droit suisse des obligations, en particulier de ses règles générales non codifiées, à la lumière des Principes du droit européen des contrats.
Préfacé par les professeurs François Dessemontet et Ernst Kramer, l’ouvrage est muni de deux index et de plusieurs tableaux systématiques qui en facilitent l’usage.