Academic literature on the topic 'Restrictions on freedom of establishment'

The golden share case law and other recent case law of the ECJ form a basis for the development of a rule of internal market law that all rules of general company law that may have as an effect that investors are prevented or deterred from making cross-border investments in undertakings restrict the freedom of establishment and the free movement of capital. Relevant rules that potentially restrict the freedom of establishment and the free movement of capital are, inter alia, rules that allow shareholders to include deviations from the principle of 'one share, one vote' in articles of association, such as multiple voting rights. Other potentially restricting rules are employee co-decision rules and shareholder liability rules. If certain of these rules are judged to restrict the fundamental freedoms, this would necessitate a fundamental reconsideration of the existing company laws of the Member States from the perspective of restrictions to cross-border investments.

Abstract The non-discrimination principle is one of the essential principles in the area of European public and private law too. The importance of this principle also takes a great place in field of company law, especially in the area of “freedom of establishment of the companies” in the European Single Market (hereinafter ESM). Freedom of establishment of companies is closely related to the general concept of “free movement of people, capital, goods and services,” in ESM. In fact, freedom of establishment is a substantive part of the process of creation the internal market in EU. The freedom of establishment is based on the Treaty of the functioning of EU (hereinafter TFEU). According to article 49 from TFEU (previously article 43 et seq. EC Treaty), restrictions on the freedom of establishment of nationals of a Member State in the territory of another Member State shall be prohibited. This prohibition also applies to restrictions on setting-up of agencies, branches or subsidiaries by nationals of any Member State established in the territory of any Member State. In-depth exploration of this issue is conditioned by the interpretation of the Court of justice of European Union (hereinafter CJEU), which embodies the real legal regime of freedom of establishment. Freedom of establishment of companies is closely related to the principles of healthy and fair competition and equal access of the companies too. This article seeks to elaborate fundamental theoretical aspects of this issue, considering certain case - study analyze of CJEU judgements. The main focus is on the non-discrimination principle, legal effects of the CJEU judgments, free market and competitiveness, and finally, determination of the concept of primary and secondary establishment of companies in EU.

The problem of restricting labor rights and freedoms, which is an important area of research for both domestic and foreign scholars, has been studied. International and national legislation on the establishment of restrictions on police officers while being recruited and during their service has been analyzed.
 The author has carried out analysis of the norms of general and special legislation regulating the official activities of police officers, such as restricting the rights of police officers and establishing a ban on certain activities. The materials of judicial practice and scientific views of scholars on this issue have been studied.
 Based on the conducted analysis the author has offered to combine all prohibitions and restrictions into four blocks unequal in scope and nature of the impact on individual rights: a) prohibitions and restrictions of a political nature; b) prohibitions and restrictions of an economic nature; c) restrictions arising from the specifics of the police service and its special nature; d) prohibitions and restrictions in the field of mass media and freedom of speech.
 It has been clarified that the problem of legalization of restrictions on the rights and freedoms of police officers and a number of criteria that a police officer must meet has been properly regulated by international regulatory legal acts.
 The author has revealed some gaps in the legislation that limit the rights of a police officer during his service in the police. The problematic aspects of the legal consolidation of restrictions for police officers include their vague wording and ramifications in various legislative acts that is the basis for inconsistencies and legal misunderstandings. In this regard, all the criteria, restrictions and legal definitions to them, which are provided for the police officer, should be enshrined in a separate Section of the Law of Ukraine “On the National Police”.
 The author has suggested the ways to improve and amend the current legislation regulating the establishment of restrictions for police officers during their service. The implementation of international law into national legislation and the adoption of positive European experience should be more balanced and should take into account the specifics of national achievements.

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical provisions and legal basis for establishing restrictions on the rights to liberty and security of person in terms of preventing the spread of acute respiratory disease COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in Ukraine.The study argues that the implementation of human rights restrictions in the context of preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic should be based on criteria of quality of law, justification of purpose and public necessity.Based on the analysis of certain provisions of the current legislation, which establish restrictions on human rights during a pandemic, it was found that most often in a pandemic are a restriction of the right to respect for private life; the right to liberty and the right to security of person; the right to freedom of movement; the right to freedom of peaceful assembly; the right to freedom of religion; the right to access medical care and some others.The article analyzes the various restrictions on human rights to liberty and security of person in the context of the spread of the disease. Among them, considerable attention is paid to the study of the legality of compulsory hospitalization of patients to observers, the use of the service “Action. Home” in the context of interference in the privacy of a person and restricts his personal rights and freedoms; appropriate measures to prevent the spread of acute respiratory disease COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in pre-trial detention facilities and penitentiary institutions.It is proved that today the legislation of Ukraine does not develop a unified approach to the establishment and regulation of quarantine restrictions in the field of human rights. There are many cases of contradictions between the current legislation in this area and acts designed to establish certain restrictions on the exercise of their rights to liberty and security of person.

The article outlines current trends in the legal regulation of foreign direct investment; analyzes the current approaches of EAEU member states to the restriction of foreign investment; systematizes the provisions of the Union law, which affect the adoption and application of national measures to restrict and control foreign direct investment; identifies the conceptual differences between EAEU law and EU law in regulating freedom of establishment. The aim of the research is to determine the degree of the EAEU law influence on the introduction by member states of restrictive measures against direct investment from member states. The author concludes that the legal framework for national measures to restrict FDI from member states is predetermined by the norms of the Union law on ensuring freedom of establishment as a form of investment, operated with individual and general exceptions, that allow to take the measures necessary to protect the national priority interests.

Abstract The ownership of broadcast stations by religious groups, the establishment of broadcast stations exclusively devoted to religious content and the inclusion of content of a religious nature within the programming of regular commercial, public or community stations are all practices that are common throughout the world. However, several countries have implemented bans or restrictions on the dissemination of religious content through broadcasting or the ownership of broadcast stations by religious groups. The present article aims to assess whether such bans and restrictions are compatible with the rights to freedom of religion and freedom of expression as recognized under international human rights law. For these purposes, the most common arguments in favour and against restrictions on religious broadcasting are explained and weighed against each other.

The introduction of the restriction of freedom in the domestic system of criminal penalties fully corresponds to the trend of humanization of contemporary Russian criminal and penal policies. However, the effectiveness of this punishment depends not only on the creation of proper conditions for its execution, but also on the correct application of the norms of the criminal law when it is appointed. Unfortunately, in practice, mistakes are often encountered in the establishment of specific restrictions and duties for the convicts restricted of freedom by courts. In the presented article, the author, on the basis of the analysis of existing judicial practice, identifies errors that arise when imposing punishment in the form of restriction of liberty. Particular attention is given to the need for the courts to take into account not only criminal legal but also social characteristics of the convict when imposing a sentence. In order to resolve the identified problems, the author formulates relevant proposals for improving domestic legislation regulating the sphere in question, as well as judicial practice.

According to Article 11 of the EC VAT Directive, Member States may regard as a single taxable person any persons established in the territory of that Member State who, while legally independent, are closely bound to one another by financial, economic, and organizational links. This provision requires that the undertakings in question are established in the same Member State, for which reason it is not possible to form a cross-border VAT group. In the doctrine, it has been argued that this territorial restriction is in breach of the rules on freedom of establishment in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). In the present article, this issue will be analysed further.

The article is devoted to the study of the protection of general (public) interest as a criterion for restricting the constitutional rights and freedoms of the individual. It is substantiated that the presence of general (public) interest in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine may be grounds for: restriction of property rights, other constitutional rights, in particular, the right to access public information, the right to freedom of association in political parties and public organizations, peacefully, without weapons and to hold meetings, rallies, marches and demonstrations, the right to strike; in administrative proceedings - to resolve the issue of consideration of the case in the general
 claim proceedings, the possibility of cassation (third) review of the case, determining the amount of costs for legal assistance and the distribution of court costs.
 The author argues that the issue of protection of general (public) interest is closely related to such an important issue as trust in the judiciary. It is proved that the special vocation of administrative courts is that they are responsible for resolving the extremely difficult issues of finding a fair balance between general (public) and private interests, using the procedural mechanisms enshrined in the CAS of Ukraine.
 An analysis of the decisions of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, based on which the components of the rule of law, which must be provided by the state and its bodies during: the establishment of legal restrictions on the exercise of constitutional rights and freedoms of man and citizen; regulation of public relations in the social sphere; redistribution of public expenditures and public income; establishing restrictions on the right to appeal and cassation appeal against a decision of a court of general jurisdiction.
 On the basis of the conducted research it was offered to supplement Art. Art. 56 and 65 of the Constitution of Ukraine in order to unify the approach to determining the grounds for restriction in exceptional cases of constitutional rights and freedoms of the individual.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att utreda konsekvensen av att det finns distinktioner i de rättfärdigade inskränkningarna inom etableringsfriheten mellan bolagsrätt och skatterätt samt att undersöka hur de svenska CFC-reglerna kan anses utgöra en rättfärdigad inskränkning i den grundläggande principen om rätten till fri etablering. Etableringsfriheten stadgar medborgare och bolags rätt att fritt etablera sig och bilda bolag inom Europeiska unionen. För att en medlemsstats nationella regler ska kunna inskränka den grundläggande etableringsfriheten krävs att inskränkningen kan rättfärdigas. De rättfärdigade inskränkningarna ser olika ut beroende på inom vilket rättsområde de tilllämpas. Etableringsfriheten är mer långtgående på bolagsrättens område som enbart innefattar en rättfärdigad inskränkning. Inskränkningen kan motiveras av bristen på en unionsrättslig reglering på området. På skatteområdet ser rättsläget dock annorlunda ut. Inom etableringsfriheten finns det ett flertal rättfärdigade inskränkningar på skatteområdet. Att skatterättsområdet är mer reglerat är bolagsrättsområdet har motiverats av att en medlemsstats skatteintäkter är en väsentlig del för en medlemsstats existens. Dessutom skiljer sig de olika medlemsstaternas skattelagstiftningar åt på grund av politiska, historiska och ekonomiska skäl. Konsekvensen av att CFC-beskattas innebär att en delägare löpande blir beskattad för vins-terna i hans utländska dotterbolag som är etablerat i ett lågbeskattat land. CFC-lagstiftningen syftar till att förhindra och försvåra skatteflykt. Efter Cadbury Schweppes-domen har de svenska CFC-reglerna omarbetats. Den nya svenska regleringen harmoniserar mer förenligt med EU och etableringsfriheten. Utfallet från Cadbury Schweppes-domen har även minskat distinktionerna i de rättfärdigade inskränkningarna mellan skatterättens och bolagsrättens område. Effekten av domslutet är ett stort steg framåt i strävan för en enhetlig inre marknad och en mer harmoniserad etableringsfrihet.<br>The purpose of this paper is to investigate the consequence of that there are distinctions in the justified restrictions in freedom of Establishment between company law and tax law and to investigate how the Swedish CFC-legislation could be considered a justified restriction on the fundamental principle of freedom of Establishment. Freedom of Establishment statutes citizens and companies rights to establish and to set up companies within the European Union. In order for a Member State's national legislation to restrict the fundamental freedom of Establishment a justification is required. The justified restrictions various depending on which area of law they apply to. Freedom of Establishment is more comprising on company law, which only includes one justified restrictive. The restriction can be justified by the lack of a common Unity regulation in the company law. The fiscal situation looks quite different. Within the establishment there are several justifications restrictions on tax matters. The tax law is more regulated then the company law. The tax law has been motivated by the fact that a Member State tax revenue is an essential part of a Member of existence. In addition, differences between the various Member States tax regulations are based on account of political, historical and economic reasons. The consequence of being CFC-taxed is that a shareholder continuously will be taxed for his subsidiary established in a low-tax country. CFC-legislation seeks to bar and hinder tax evasion. After the Cadbury Schweppes-case, the Swedish CFC-legislation was revised. This new Swedish legislation is better harmonized with the EU and the freedom of Establishment. The outcome of the Cadbury Schweppes-judgement has also reduced the distinctions in the justification restrictions between tax law and company law. The effect of the judgement is a major step forward in the ambition for a unified internal market and a more harmonized freedom of Establishment.

The freedom of establishment is considered to be one of the essential freedoms in establishing the European internal market. Article 49 and 54 in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) grants persons and companies the right to set up establishments and pursue economic activity within the Member States of the European Union, the articles are however complicated and the Court of Justice has in many case explained how these articles are to be interpreted. A company is free to establish itself through a primary establishment in any Member State and has the right to open up secondary establishment in another Member State. This can be done regardless if this is done just the take advantage of the more favourable legislation in the first state. The transfer of the entire or parts of a company´s establishment fall  outside the scope of freedom of establishment, then national legislation determine if transfer is allowed or not. The outcome of a transfer varies widely because of the differences in national law. In some cases a company is forced to wind-up and liquidate while in other cases the transfer is allowed.  This shows that there is a need for harmonisation in the freedom of establishment for companies. A new distinction of transfer was introduces in the latest ruling in the Cartesio case. A company can transfer from one Member State to another if it intends to convert to a company form of the new state, however, only if the legislation of new state allows it. The Court of Justice allowed a new kind of transfer and it must now be regulated in order for companies to be able to take advantage of this increase in corporate mobility.

The present thesis is concerned with private international law for corporate and insolvency disputes in the context of freedom of establishment. First, it presents the traditional rules of conflict applicable to corporate disputes that have been implemented in some major jurisdictions. Second, it analyses the relevant leading judgments of the European Court of Justice and it demonstrates the way in which, contrary to popular belief, the real seat theory has not been held contrary to freedom of establishment. The thesis then deals with the concept of letter-box companies and examines the limitations that are being placed to the use of freedom of establishment. This is followed by a juxtaposition of the factors that have lead and could lead to regulatory competition for corporate law in the USA and the EU respectively. A modest approach is taken towards the possibility of the latter occurring in the EU. Third, the thesis examines the treatment of insolency disputes in this context. A substantial part of it is dedicated to the definition of the basis for international jurisdiction for the opening of insolvency proceedings, namely the centre of main interests. It argues in favour of an objective test for the identification of the centre of main interests (COMI) and the allocations of certain burdens on both the debtor and the creditors. It then focuses on the treatment of forum shopping in the context on international insolvencies. Based on considerations of consent and economic efficiency, it suggests a definition, according to which certain transfers of the COMI should not amount to forum shopping. Finally, the thesis examines the possibility of a regulatory competition for insolvencies in the EU and seeks to demonstrate that the conditions for such a competition are more analogous between US corporate law and EU insolvency, rather than company, law.

Over the last three decades, Oman has emerged as a center of political and economic stability in the Arab world, a stability which is an essential ingredient for any country to develop and flourish. Whereas democracy and public freedoms are at the core of stability in other parts of the world, the case in Oman is different. It is not a democratic state and it did not adopt the modern concepts of human rights and public freedoms into its legal-political system until 1996 when the Basic Statute of the State was promulgated. The purpose of this study is to provide a general view of the current status of Human Rights under the Omani Basic Statute of the State with a specific focus on some civil and political rights. It illustrates the situation of human rights by assessing the implementation of the constitutional and legal safeguards into practice and finding out what hinders them. It aims to evaluate the importance of the constitution in Oman, and the extent to which it has succeeded in incorporating international human rights’ standards while walking the tightrope of reconciling this with core traditional social customs and Islamic values. It analyses the compatibility of constitutional and national laws and practice with international human rights standards and assesses current trends and policies. Three case studies for different rights and freedoms are conducted to explore the guarantees and weaknesses of different rights in practice. These are the areas of nationality 'as individual right' which is very important under the Oman system as it is the direct link to enjoyment of other rights and freedoms. The Shura is the second case study as a political right or a collective right which represents public participation in Oman. Finally, the Freedom of Association, as an example for the freedom of expression and opinion, which represents individual and group rights together. This research evaluation analyses in detail the developments since the promulgation of the Basic Statute in December 1996 but stretches to encompass developments till the developments to the end of July 2011.

The trade today consist of global trade. Businesses are exercising cross-border activities and businesses tend to establish themselves in foreign markets. Many choices and factors affect a business choice of country to enter, and its choice of form of establishment in the new market. Therefore the thesis will examine the market entry strategy of the four Swedish businesses Lundalogik AB, Infobric AB, Funded-by-me AB, and PayEx AB in the information technology (IT) industry that have established their businesses in Norway. The authors believe that Norway is an interesting country to study as it is one of Sweden's most important ex-port markets and the IT-sector stands for approximately 13% of all Swedish exports towards the whole world. The purpose with the thesis is to explore and understand the market entry strategy used by the above mentioned four Swedish IT-businesses when entering the Norwegian market. With help of the purpose of the thesis the authors intend to answer what the underlying reasons for the four businesses were when entering the Norwegian market and its choice of form of establishment. As this is an explorative study the research method applied is an inductive approach with influences from the grounded theory. An inductive approach is when observations help to formulate a theory whereas the grounded theory is when a theory is discovered from social research. The reason why an inductive approach is better suited for the thesis is due to the flexibility in deciding which theory to choose after analyzing the primary data. After analyzing the four case studies it can be concluded that no pure internationalization strategy exists among the companies, instead a variety of customer follower and market seeker strategies are common. Moreover, the choice of form of establishment has many factors. Credibility, market knowledge, design of business and existing business relationships were the four most common factors identified by the authors affecting the case studies‟ choice of form of establishment.

Western commentators have often criticized the state of press freedom in China, arguing that individual speech still suffers from arbitrary restrictions and that its mass media remains under an authoritarian mode. Yet the history of press freedom in the Chinese context has received little examination. Unlike conventional historical accounts which narrate the institutional development of censorship and people’s resistance to arbitrary repression, Freedom of the Press in China: A Conceptual History, 1831-1949 is the first comprehensive study presenting the intellectual trajectory of press freedom. It sheds light on the transcultural transference and localization of the concept in modern Chinese history, spanning from its initial introduction in 1831 to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. By examining intellectuals’ thoughts, common people’s attitudes, and official opinions, along with the social-cultural factors that were involved in negotiating Chinese interpretations and practices in history, this book uncovers the dynamic and changing meanings of press freedom in modern China.

At the end of the eighteenth century, before and during the French Revolution, Kant wrote intensively about politics. This book brings together the translations of his principal philosophical-political works, with the editor's annotations, from the essay on Enlightenment through to the writing on progress. The texts are subject to a Creative Commons licence, so that they can be amended without restrictions, retaining the same rights. Open access publication alone can achieve freedom in the public use of reason. The decision to free a classic work from economic monopoly and censure is intended to demonstrate that open access is not an academic theory but a reality that can give value and meaning to the establishment of a public university. Making Kant read means much more than merely reading him.

In this paper, the author starts from the thesis that freedom of expression, which is best reflected in freedom of the press, as the central public media of the time, was a clear indicator of the level of development of the newly created Yugoslav society. The press in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was a clear example of existing social antagonisms. Although the Vidovdan Constitution paid attention to this fundamental human freedom, classifying it as a political right of citizens, the manner of its regulation and practical application indicated limitations, immaturity and unwillingness of society to face its own weaknesses, ie the weaknesses of the ruling establishment, but also all important political factors. According to the letter of the constitution, freedom of the press is guaranteed, but with restrictions. These restrictions, such as the possibility of introducing censorship in cases provided by law, clearly raised the question of whether the existence of freedom of expression could be discussed at all in this period. The enjoyment of freedom of the press was concretized by a later law which found a foothold in the Constitution. Historical facts most faithfully reflect the situation in this area, but also the importance of the issue, through reflection on everyday political, cultural, educational, economic and social relations. After 100 years, the violation of freedom of the press is referred to as a violation of media freedom, which means that restrictions and violations of the rules have not been eradicated, but only shaped into new terminology, ie a new appearance.

The current pandemic has created new scenarios and problems regarding religious freedom. To combat the spread of the coronavirus, governments have ordered social distance and total closure of numerous activities including the celebration of sacred rites without consulting religious authorities. Religions have accepted the restrictions with a sense of responsibility, but the sacrifice of religious freedom for the faithful has been great. In addition, the effects of the pandemic together with the negative effects of globalization will continue over time, generating economic and social damage. In addition to prayer, religions have invited the faithful to a social commitment to reduce the critical issues of the crisis and specially to combat poverty. It is therefore necessary to analyze some topics: critical issues relating to the limitation of the right to religious freedom; what problems arise in the relations between powers (civil and religious); what problems arise in relations between state and religions; how the constitutional rights of the faithful and citizens are protected; what are the legal problems internal to the different religions, considering that the judgment on the validity of online rites is different; what is the role of religions in the face of the economic crisis. For the first time since the beginning of the human rights era, there has been a serious conflict between human rights, especially for the greater protection given to the right to health. The right to religious freedom also suffered, but it must be considered that the protection of the right to religious freedom also contributes to the recovery of a „good” economy, which can counteract the negative effects of the pandemic and globalization. We must build a personalist humanism, which the alliance between religions can promote. A humanism that respects the rights and dignity of man, against the logic of profit, and that rewrites the ethical rules of the economy. Looking at the post-pandemic, religions can be the soul of the ethical and moral rules that must guide the „good economy” in society to overcome social and economic differences.

Established as a personal right, the right to free speech implies obligations and duties, which may generate possible restrictions. Freedom of expression works correctly in a legal framework when it comes to a legitimate aim in a state law. Article 10, paragraph 2, of the Convention explains the conditions under which the right to freedom of expression is justified by the need to protect certain public interests (such as those relating to national security, the territorial space of the state, public order, the prevention of crimes, the protection of health and social morals, the guarantee of authority and the impartiality of the judiciary) but also to protect certain private interests, such as reputation and the rights of others. persons or the need to prevent the publication of secret information. This paragraph basically authorizes states to take certain measures to protect those interests, which materialize through rules and normative rules of the right to conscience, opinion and freedom of expression States enjoy a margin of appreciation for establishing the need for such reactions in a state governed by the rule of law, but in the end it is also up to the European Court of Human Rights to rule on the compatibility of interference with the provisions of the Convention, assessing on a case-by-case basis if the interference arises as a result of the urgent social issues and whether it is fair.

Based on the analysis of scientific literature, the provisions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and foreign states, as well as the norms of international Law, freedom of teaching as a legal category in the system of constitutional rights and freedoms of man and citizen are analyzed. It is shown, in particular, that the domestic constitutional and legal representation of the category “academic freedom” is mainly located in the plane of subjective Law due to the burden of a wide range of legal restrictions and the absence of absolute properties.

Compared to conventional manufacturing processes, additive manufacturing offers a degree of freedom that has the potential to revolutionize the turbine components supply chain. Additive manufacturing facilitates the design and manufacture of highly complex components in high performance materials with features that cannot currently be realized with other processes. In addition, shorter development and manufacturing lead-times are possible due to the flexibility of 3D based processing and the absence of expensive, complicated molds or dies. Having been confined for many years to rapid prototyping or R&amp;D applications, additive manufacturing is now making the move to the factory floor. However, a dearth of manufacturing experience makes the development effort and risk of costly mistakes a deterrent for many organizations that would otherwise be interested in exploring the benefits of additive manufacturing. A former manufacturer of industrial gas turbines recently established an additive manufacturing workshop designed to deliver highly complex engine-ready components that can contribute to increased performance of the gas turbine. A strong emphasis on process validation and implementation of the organization’s best practice Lean and Quality methodologies has laid solid foundations for a highly capable manufacturing environment. This paper describes the approach taken to ensure that the workshop achieves a high level of operational excellence. Process development topics explored in the paper include the following: • Planning of process flow and cell layout to permit the maximum lean performance • Strategy used to determine machine specification and selection method. • Assessment of process capability • Influence of design for manufacture on process efficiency and product quality • Experience gained during actual production of first commercial components

This article is devoted to the analysis of the legislation of the Soviet period concerning the establishment and protection of the right to freedom of conscience and religion. The author analyzes the normative acts, criminal law norms that provide for liability for violation of the above-mentioned right.

The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak is being endured throughout the world, and the European Union (EU) is no exception. The rapid spreading of the virus effected, among other things, restriction on the freedom of movement. The EU member states introduced national response measures to contain the pandemic and protect public health. While broadly similar, the measures differ with regard to strictness and the manner of introduction, reflecting the political legitimacy of the respective country. With the ‘Guidelines concerning the exercise of the free movement of workers during COVID-19 outbreak’ – its first COVID-19-related Communication – the European Commission (EC) attempted to curb differing practices of the EU member states and ensure a coordinated approach. Ultimately, this action was aimed at upholding of fundamental rights as guaranteed to EU citizens, one such being the freedom of movement. Thus, from the very start of the pandemic, the coordinated actions of EU institutions sought to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections with the support and cooperation of EU member states. This is confirmed by the most recent Council of the EU (Council) recommendation on a coordinated approach to restrictions to freedom of movement within the EU of October 2020. While they did prevent the spread of infection and save countless lives, the movement restriction measures and the resulting uncertainty have greatly affected the people, the society, and the economy, thereby demonstrating that they cannot remain in force for an extended period. This paper examines the measures introduced by EU member states and analyses the legal basis for introducing therewith limitations on human rights and market freedoms. To what extent are the EU and member states authorized to introduce restrictions on the freedom of movement in the interest of public health? Have the EU and member states breached their obligations regarding market freedoms and fundamental rights under the Treaty? And most importantly: have they endangered the fundamental rights of the citizens of the EU?

In normal circumstances, many practical engineering problems are nonlinear and can be described by multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) dynamical systems. Theoretically speaking, the exact solutions are very scarce, so it is extremely significant to develop the analytic tools for nonlinear systems in engineering. Inasmuch as the homotopy analysis method (HAM) can overcome the foregoing restrictions of conventional perturbation techniques, this method has been widely applied to solve a variety of nonlinear problems. In this paper, the extended homotopy analysis method (EHAM) is presented to establish the analytical approximate periodic solutions for MDOF nonlinear dynamic system. The periodic solutions for the parametric excitation buckled thin plate system of MDOF are applied to illustrate the validity and great potential of this method. In addition, comparisons are conducted between the results obtained by the EHAM and the numerical integration (i.e. Runge-Kutta) method. It is shown that the second-order analytical solutions of the EHAM agree well with the numerical integration solutions, even if time t progresses to a certain large domain in the time history responses.

The article focuses on the «Intellectual Dark Web», an informal group of scholars, publicists, and activists who openly opposed the identity politics, political correctness, and the dominance of leftist ideas in American intellectual life. The author examines the reasons for the emergence of this group, names the main representatives and finds that the existence of «dark intellectuals» is the evidence of important problems in US public discourse. The term «Intellectual Dark Web» was coined by businessman Eric Weinstein to describe those who openly opposed restrictions on freedom of speech by the state or certain groups on the grounds of avoiding discrimination and hate speech. Extensive discussion of the phenomenon of «dark intellectuals» began after the publication of Barry Weiss’s article «Meet the renegades from the «Intellectual Dark Web» in The New York Times in 2018. The author writes of «dark intellectuals» as an informal group of «rebellious thinkers, academic apostates, and media personalities» who felt isolated from traditional channels of communication and therefore built their own alternative platforms to discuss awkward topics that were often taboo in the mainstream media. One of the most prominent members of this group, Canadian clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson, publicly opposed the C-16 Act in September 2016, which the Canadian government aimed to implement initiatives that would prevent discrimination against transgender people. Peterson called it a direct interference with the right to freedom of speech and the introduction of state censorship. Other members of the group had a similar experience that their views were not accepted in the scientific or media sphere. The existence of the «Intellectual Dark Web» indicates the problem of political polarization and the reduction of the ability to find a compromise in the American intellectual sphere and in American society as a whole.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.