On May 1, 2004, ten new countries joined the European Union (EU), bringing the number of members from fifteen to a total of twenty-five. This expansion was the largest expansion ever undertaken by the EU, raising serious questions regarding the integration of different cultures, economies, political systems, and legal regimes into a very Westernized EU. These issues are further complicated by the fact that eight of the ten accession countries, namely Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, are all Eastern European nations that have only been independent states since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the subsequent disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. Still coping with the transition from socialism to capitalism and from oppression to democracy, each of these nations encountered unique challenges as they approached the date of formal EU accession.

The State of Israel has been subjected to numerous terrorist attacks since its establishment in 1948. The issue of rehabilitation, treatment, and compensation of victims of terrorism has been extensively regulated by its law. Special state funds for compensation of victims of terrorism have been established. This brief will describe the management and distribution of state funds to such victims. In addition, the right of victims to collect damages from those responsible for terrorist attacks will be analyzed. Specifically, this brief will explore whether victims of terrorism in Israel, as a precondition for filing for state compensation, are required to waive their rights to sue those responsible for the attack, and whether the State is entitled to reimbursement for money paid to victims. In addition, the right of Israeli victims of terrorism to sue knowing or unknowing tortfeasors and to sue terrorist states or quasi states will be analyzed. Special attention will be made to the application of the doctrine of foreign sovereign immunity to states and bodies responsible for terrorist actions.

Russian society is currently struggling on its road towards recognizing the rights and freedoms of the individual, as well as towards establishing the rule of law and institutions, norms and procedures of a civil society. The current poor state of the legal profession is due significantly to lawyers with substandard qualifications. This fact has delayed the speed of progressive social, political and spiritual reforms, and has complicated the quest for freedom and legal rights by the Russian people. An analysis of the previous Russian experience and a creative interpretation of state and legal traditions might be useful to solve current problems. One such lesson may be learned from studying the history of the Bar (Advokatura), which once used to influence the social and political life in Russia.

In September 2004 the Law Library of Congress unveiled a suite of enhanced navigation, search, language, accessibility, and user-friendly features to support broad public use of the Global Legal Information Network (GLIN). Placing this standard-setting achievement in the larger context of the Law Library's continuing commitment to acquiring, processing, and disseminating legal information on a global scale, the legal research community will benefit from an overview of the initiatives, principles, and processes that combined to shape the system for maximum accessibility and uncompromising reliability.

First of all, I would like to thank Holger Knudsen, a good old friend, for this invitation. It is very important for us Brazilians to get an opportunity to talk about our new Civil Code, since it has been harshly criticized for its bad sides and warmly praised for its good ones. I also would like to thank the Law Librarians’ Discussion Group, which has organized this event, and you for your presence and interest in this subject.

MERCOSUR is the world's fourth largest trade area, considering its economic importance. It was established by the Asuncion Treaty, signed on March 26, 1991. On January 1, 1995, a Customs Union was established between the four member countries, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.