This page sets out the English summaries of the research papers published by the Research Services. A link from the end of the summary will take you to the complete research paper in German.

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• Ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court on the German Bundestag’s EFSF Panel
  In its judgement of 28 February 2012, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled that the transfer of decision-making powers concerning the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) from the Bundestag to the nine-person panel established by the Stabilisation Mechanism Act in most cases infringes the rights of the Members of the Bundestag, as enshrined in Article 38 (1), sentence 2 of the Basic Law. The Court ruled that the delegation of powers to the Panel is only permissible for decisions on the EFSF buying up sovereign bonds on the secondary markets.

  Publication of 03/07/2012
  
  

• Reserves of the statutory pension scheme
  On account of Germany’s good economic performance and the increase in employment, the reserves of the statutory pension insurance scheme have grown in the last few years. The sustainability reserve is approaching the prescribed maximum value of 1.5 months of expenditure.

  Publication of 02/21/2012
  
  

• E-Books
  An electronic book (also e-book, ebook, digital book) is a publication in digital form and readable on e-readers, computers or other digital devices. Forecasts indicate a growing demand for digital content around the world. E-books will become established as a further book format in addition to paperbacks and hardcover. The shift to e-books and digital publishing is challenging the basic models of copyright and contracts that underlie the functioning of book markets.

  Publication of 01/23/2012
  
  

• Programme of the 2012 Danish Presidency of the EU Council
  On January 1, Denmark took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Poland for the first half of 2012. The programme of the Presidency is divided into four themes: a responsible Europe, a dynamic Europe, a green Europe and a safe Europe. Even as a non-euro country, the Danish Presidency aims to use these priorities to help solve the economic and financial crisis.

  Publication of 01/23/2012
  
  

• Council of Europe Convention on the counterfeiting of medical products
  On 28 October 2011 in Moscow, Germany signed the Council of Europe Convention on the Counterfeiting of Medical Products and Similar Crimes Involving Threats to Public Health of 4 August 2011. The purpose of the Convention is to introduce substantive criminal law provisions in the member states of the Council of Europe to provide protection against counterfeit medical drugs as well as their supply and trade in them. The Council of Europe’s Convention is essentially born of an initiative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. A recommendation was made to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 20 April 2007. It called upon the member states of the Council of Europe to create a specific legal framework for dealing with counterfeit medical drugs.

  Publication of 01/17/2012 (2 pages)