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Dr. Michael Griem, Dean of the Frankfurt am Main Bar, is elected President of the European Bars Federation !
We are very happy to learn that Dr. Michael Griem, Dean of the Frankfurt Bar and partner at ou member, the SMNG law firm (https://smng.de/) member, has been elected President of the European Bars Federation (https://www.fbe.org/) this Saturday, May 31, 2025. The...
Czech Republic – As of 30 June 2025, spatial planning authorities will be required to upload all documentation to the National Geoportal of Spatial Planning
On 30 June 2025, the transitional period established by Act No. 283/2021 Coll., the new Building Act, which came into effect last year, will come to an end. From this date, spatial planning authorities will be required to upload all documents related to spatial...
Germany – The Regional High Court of Hamm dismissed, on May 28, 2025, the complaint filed by Saoul Luciano Lliuya against the German group RWE, the second largest electricity producer in Germany, relating to its responsibility for the consequences of global warming, but considered that, in principle, companies can be held legally responsible for damages caused by their contribution to climate change
Saúl Luciano Lliuya, an Andean farmer and mountain guide, who believed he was seriously threatened by a wave of flooding due to the consequences of global warming, filed a lawsuit against the German energy company RWE in a German civil court on November 24, 2015. Mr....
Europe – Norway – The Court of Justice of the European Free Trade Association considered in a judgment of 21 May 2025 (case E-18/24) that downstream gas emissions, namely gas emissions from petroleum products produced on the basis of a permit, must be taken into account in the environmental impact assessment of the project when applying for a permit. They constitute effects of this project within the meaning of Directive 2011/92/EU of 13 December 2011 on environmental
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats The Court of Justice of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA Court) held in a judgment of 21 May 2025 (Case E-18/24) that greenhouse gas emissions emitted by the combustion of oil and natural gas extracted as part of...
Europe – On a preliminary question referred by the Council of State of Belgium, the Court of Justice of the European Union, by judgment of 8 May 2025 (C/236-24), held that, Article 9a of Directive 2011/92/EU of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU of 16 April 2014, must be interpreted as meaning that where the authority competent to determine whether a project referred to in Article 4(2) of Directive 2011/92, as amended, must be subject to an environmental impact assessment, in accordance with Articles 5 to 10 of Directive 2011/92, as amended, is also the developer of the project concerned, an appropriate separation between the conflicting functions in the performance of that task must at least be applied
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats On a preliminary question referred by the Council of State of Belgium, the Court of Justice of the European Union, by judgment of 8 May 2025 (C/236-24), held that, Article 9a of Directive 2011/92/EU of 13 December 2011 on...
Europe – By judgment of 8 May 2025 (C-318/23), the Court of Justice of the European Union finds that the Republic of Slovenia has failed to take the necessary measures to manage waste on plot no. 115/1 in the municipality of Teharje (Bukovžlak) in compliance with its judgment of 16 July 2015 (Commission v Slovenia – C 140/14) and has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 260(1) TFEU. It orders the Republic of Slovenia to pay the European Commission a lump sum of EUR 1,200,000
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats By a judgment of 16 July 2017 (C-140/14 – Commission v Slovenia), the Court held that the Republic of Slovenia had breached its obligations by authorising the dumping of excavated material on plot No 115/1 in the...
Belgique – Région de Bruxelles-Capitale – Par arrêt du 30 avril 2025 (n°73/2025), la Cour constitutionnelle rejette la requête en annulation introduite contre l’ordonnance de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale du 28 septembre 2023 « portant modification du Code bruxellois du Logement en vue de mettre en place un droit de préférence pour les locataires d’un logement mis en vente »
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats Par arrêt du 30 avril 2025 (n073/205), la Cour constitutionnelle rejette la requête en annulation introduite contre l'ordonnance de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale du 28 septembre 2023 « portant modification du Code...
Europe – In a judgment of 6 May 2025 (L.F. and Others v. Italy), the European Court of Human Rights condemned Italy for failing to take the necessary measures to protect the population against pollution from a smelter since 2006 (violation of Article 8 of the Convention – right to privacy)
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats Europe - In a judgment of 6 May 2025 (L.F. and Others v. Italy), the European Court of Human Rights condemned Italy for failing to take the necessary measures to protect the population against pollution from a smelter...
Europe – In a judgment of 27 March 2025 (No. 82/2025 – Laterza and D’Errico v. Italy), the European Court of Human Rights condemns Italy for the lack of efforts by the courts to establish the existence or not of a pathology between the death of a man and his exposure to dangerous products in the context of his professional activity (violation of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights – right to life)
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats Europe - In a judgment of 27 March 2025 (No. 82/2025 - Laterza and D'Errico v. Italy), the European Court of Human Rights condemns Italy for the lack of efforts by the courts to establish the existence or not of a...
Europe – Par arrêt du 3 mars 2025 (Monseur c/ Belgique), la Cour européenne des droits de l’Homme condamne la Belgique pour ne pas avoir pris dans un délai raisonnable les mesures nécessaires pour rétablir la légalité après un arrêt du Conseil d’Etat annulant un permis d’urbanisme et ne pas avoir assurer le respect des règles d’urbanisme qui visent à garantir le bon aménagement du territoire (violation de l’article 6, § 1er de la Convention européenne des droits de l’Homme)
HAVET & VANHUFFEL - Association d'avocats La Cour européenne des droits de l’Homme a considéré dans un arrêt du 3 mars 2025 (Monseur c/ Belgique) que l’article 6, paragraphe 1er, de la Convention européenne des droits de l’homme implique que lorsqu’un arrêt du...