CYIL vol. 8 (2017)

PREFACE

Dear Readers,

It is a great pleasure to introduce the now eighth volume of the Czech Yearbook of Public & Private International Law (CYIL), appearing, as usual, in autumn. This period is a time of many international conferences and the debate of the Sixth (legal) Committee of the United Nations. It is most likely the right time for readers of this Yearbook interested in developments in international law and its codification. The Czech Yearbook is a scholarly publication of the Czech Society of International Law, acting in cooperation with the Czech Branch of the International Law Association. Since 2014, the Czech Yearbook has been published by the new international publishers, RW&W, Science & New Media, Passau-Berlin-Praha. As you know, the CSIL publishes the Yearbook both in printed and electronic versions (www.cyil.eu). Since 2015, the Czech Yearbook has been included in the Czech index of scholarly peer-reviewed journals (RVVI) and in the SCOPUS international database. It has become usual to announce in the preface some news or innovations related to the current volume of the Yearbook. This year we have received the highest number of contributions from both Czech and foreign authors. And even after their selection, based on peer-review, this issue is again larger than previous issues, amounting to 660 pages. Such a large volume has made a new record in the history of CYIL. The Editorial Board of the CYIL is proud that the Yearbook is growing and maturing. This growth of the Czech Yearbook ranks it among the larger publications of this kind in an international comparison. However, the size of the Yearbook also warrants some technical improvements, such as a larger format for pages and better quality of the paper and cover used for the printed version. However important these technical changes may be, the rich and interesting content remains, in our opinion, the main goal and commitment of CYIL. Volume 8 (2017) presents a variety of studies and articles covering many issues of contemporary International and European law. The Yearbook keeps its promises and brings a Symposium on current issues of international responsibility. Moreover, it also offers another symposium on the Use of force and ISIS. Last but not least, this volume includes for the first time a special section on Health, ethics and human rights from international and comparative perspectives. The readers will also find here many other traditional sections. The volume includes, inter alia, studies and articles on a determination of customary international law, unilateral economic sanctions, the personal status of refugees, several aspects of migration, crimes against humanity, etc. Like last year, the CYIL also presents a section on International law and EU law with six articles on a wide range of issues, including the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, social rights and the harmonization of consumer protection. An important number of articles deal with international human rights law, in particular from the perspective of the Council of Europe’s system, including the status of newminorities, the right to privacy and surveillance and the right to a fair trial in asylum procedures, as well as international humanitarian and international criminal law and justice.

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