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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• Topical Term from 2006/09/10
  The election of judges for the Federal Constitutional Court
  

  This "Topical term" factsheet provides information about the election of judges to the Federal Constitutional Court in Germany. It explains how the constitutional judges are elected by the Bundestag and Bundesrat. There has been criticism of the fact that, at the Bundestag, it is a committee of Members which elects the judges, rather than the whole House.

  PDF file (88 KB)
  
  
• Topical Term from 2006/08/15
  The "second basket" of reform of copyright law
  

  On 29 June 2006, the German Bundestag held the first reading of the bill presented by the Federal Government on a "second act on copyright law in the information society" (Printed Paper 16/1828) and referred the bill to the committee responsible, the Committee on Legal Affairs. This "second basket" is intended to further adapt current copyright law to the demands of the digital era and ensure a balance of interests between the parties concerned.

  PDF file (82 KB)
  
  
• Topical Term from 2006/08/09
  Internet telephony: VoIP
  

  In contrast to traditional landline telephony, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) refers to telephone calls made via computer networks. With VoIP, speech is first digitised, then compressed and bundled into data packets. These are then transmitted via a broadband Internet connection to the receiver, where the data packets are reconverted into analogue signals. Internet telephony is not yet very widespread. However, forecasts suggest that by 2010 around 30 per cent of all telephone calls globally will be made via the Internet.

  PDF file (98 KB)
  
  
• Publication from 2006/07/12
  Spreading of transgenic potatoes by birds
  

  The study examines the risk of transgenic potatoes being spread by birds and comes to the conclusion that the probability of volunteer genetically engineered potatoes occurring on a significant scale is extremely low.

  PDF file (100 KB)
  
  
• Topical Term from 2006/06/28
  The economic causes of electricity companies' windfall profits following the introduction of emissions trading
  

  Since CO2 emissions permits were made obligatory in 2005, electricity prices in Germany have risen. At the same time, electricity companies have reaped windfall profits. This ‘Topical Term’ explains the economic causes of this trend and describes the theoretical possibility of auctioning emissions allowances to prevent companies from reaping windfall profits.

  PDF file (105 KB)
  
  
• Topical Term from 2006/04/11
  Intellectual Property
  

  The protection of intellectual property is important not only for the promotion of innovation and creativity, but also for labour market development and to improve competitiveness. Directive 2004/48/EC on the enforcement of intellectual property rights (OJ L 195 of 2 June 2004, p.16), which must be transposed into national law by 29 April 2006, is also gaining in topicality because of the forthcoming amendment of the Copyright Act.

  PDF file (93 KB)
  
  
• Topical Term - Europe from 2006/03/23
  Green paper on " A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy"
  PDF file (125 KB)
  
  
• Topical Term from 2006/03/01
  Protection of young persons in the area of media
  

  "Topical term" factsheet No. 11/06 sets out the legal provisions in force at federal and Land level to protect young persons from certain types of media content. The different institutions working to protect children and young people in this field are presented and their way of working explained.

  PDF file (75 KB)
  
  
• Topical Term from 2006/02/22
  Flat-rate cultural fee
  

  The possibilities offered by digital technology, which allows music, films and texts to be reproduced in a wide variety of ways, are a challenge to business and policymakers. Business is therefore developing ways of limiting and preventing the economic losses it suffers as a result of copies made and distributed without payment. One proposal made in this context is that a ‘flat-rate cultural fee’ should be levied. In exchange for paying a monthly fee, people would be permitted to legally download music and other digital content from the Internet. Music would be freely available via file-sharing services. Critics of this proposal stress that the concept has immense legal and substantive shortcomings.

  PDF file (78 KB)
  
  
• Topical Term from 2006/02/21
  Combating Bird Flu: Federal Research Institute for Animal Health Friedrich Loeffler Institute
  

  The Federal Research Institute for Animal Health – the Friedrich Loeffler Institute – plays an important role in efforts to combat bird flu in Germany. The Institute was established in 1910; today it comprises eight institutes at four sites. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute includes the Institute of Diagnostic Virology and its National Reference Laboratory for avian influenza (the H5N1 subtype of which is often called ‘bird flu’). In May 2005, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) designated the Institute an international Reference Laboratory for bird flu.

  PDF file (83 KB)
  
  
• Topical Term from 2006/01/26
  Constitutional guarantee of intergenerational equity
  

  Intergenerational equity is a topical issue in Germany – not least since a number of younger parliamentarians have called for the inclusion of an article on the protection of future generations in the Basic Law, Germany’s constitution. It has been suggested that a new Article 20 b be added to the constitution as a state goal, committing the state to adhere to the principle of sustainability in its actions and to protect the interests of future generations. In addition, an amendment to Article 109 of the Basic Law (Budgets of the Federation and the Länder) is being considered to make it more difficult for the Federation and Länder to take on debt. State goals outline a certain programme for state action and thus serve as guidelines for state activities, the interpretation of laws and other legislation.

  PDF file (78 KB)