/library/oar/handle/123456789/120092 2025-11-09T00:37:10Z 2025-11-09T00:37:10Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/136005 2025-06-02T10:13:34Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The digital services act's risk-based approach to disinformation on social media platforms Abstract: This dissertation analyses the measures and effects of the Digital ¸£ÀûÔÚÏßÃâ·Ñ Act as part of the risk-based approach to curbing disinformation on social media platforms. Disinformation is diverse and is disseminated with different intentions and by different, primarily technical, means. Enhanced due diligence measures require very large online platforms to analyse risks and derive measures that address systemic risks such as disinformation to public health, security and democratic processes. The measures are also analysed in terms of their strengths and weaknesses to enable an assessment of their effectiveness in achieving the objectives set out in the Digital ¸£ÀûÔÚÏßÃâ·Ñ Act. The Regulation's shortcomings with regard to the regulation of political advertising can be compensated for by the Regulation on the transparency and targeting of political advertising, which places stricter requirements. Overall, the Regulation provides a solid foundation with a flexible, risk-based approach to tackling harmful but not illegal content. Description: LL.M.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/136003 2025-06-02T10:03:35Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Regulating general purpose AI : a legal analysis of the EU artificial intelligence act Abstract: This dissertation presents a comprehensive legal analysis of the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) with a focus on the regulation of General Purpose AI (GPAI). GPAI, due to its versatility and widespread applicability across various sectors, poses unique challenges for regulation. The EU AI Act seeks to address these challenges by introducing a tiered regulatory framework that balances the need for innovation with the imperative to protect fundamental rights and ensure transparency, accountability, and safety. The analysis explores key aspects of the Act, including transparency requirements, risk management, data governance, and the handling of biases. It also examines the Act's provisions for the regulation of AI systems with a high-impact capability, particularly those exceeding significant computational thresholds, and the implications for both developers and users. Through a detailed examination of the legal, ethical, and practical considerations, this dissertation assesses the effectiveness of the AI Act in creating a regulatory environment that fosters responsible AI development while mitigating risks associated with GPAI. The study highlights the importance of striking a balance between regulation and innovation, the challenges in enforcing compliance, and the need for a dynamic regulatory approach that can adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on AI regulation by offering insights into how the EU AI Act addresses the complexities of GPAI and proposing avenues for future legal and policy development in this area. Description: LL.M.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/136001 2025-06-02T09:48:53Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Golden passports and silver linings : a comparative analysis of citizenship by investment programmes within the EU legal framework Abstract: Citizenship is widely accepted as a fundamental human right across the international community. The fact that nations sometimes strip individuals of their otherwise available citizenship rights has generated extensive academic and judicial attention in recent years. Notable examples include countries revoking citizenship for undesirable persons, such as terrorists or other serious criminal actors. This dissertation considers the equally provocative but less understood issues surrounding the ways that states offer desirable individuals ‘citizenship by investment’ (CBI) and associated ‘golden passport’ rights. Since 2013, the Republic of Malta has emulated the approaches taken by other states (often developing world nations) to offer citizenship based on foreign individuals committing to making a significant personal investment in Malta. Austria is the only other European Union (EU) member that sanctions this pathway to citizenship (under much more restrictive terms than its Maltese counterpart). The current European Commission (EC) v Republic of Malta European Court of Justice (ECJ) proceedings have prompted renewed ‘golden passport’ attention. The EC argues that Malta’s citizenship program violates European treaty provisions because Maltese law permits the naturalisation of foreign individuals through financial investment without these people having a establish a genuine link to the country. Malta asserts that its programme is consistent with international law, namely the sovereign right of all states to control their borders and citizenship entitlements. Chapter 1 outlines how CBI programmes are typically structured, with their core principles and central objectives identified and explained. Chapter 2 provides an in-depth review of the current Maltese programme and its specific features. Comparisons are made here between the respective CBI regimes of Malta, Austria, and Türkiye (an adjacent non-EU state). Chapter 3 focuses on the proceedings and legality of EC v Malta. This analysis provides the basis for the Chapter 4 prediction: how Malta will successfully defend its CBI programme. Description: LL.M.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/136000 2025-06-02T09:44:02Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: EU’s evolution : from origins to accession procedures and new member states Abstract: This thesis examines the evolution of the European Union through its enlargement processes, analysing the accession procedures, legal frameworks and political strategies that have shaped the integration of new Member States. Starting with the early phases of European integration, it traces the key milestones, such as the establishment of the Acquis Communautaire and the Copenhagen Criteria, which have become central to the EU's enlargement policy. It assesses the historical context of each enlargement, focusing on the legal, economic and political challenges posed by the accession of new members and how these experiences have informed the EU's future enlargement strategy. In particular, it examines how the EU has adapted its institutional and legal framework to ensure successful integration, highlighting key mechanisms such as the pre-accession strategy and post-accession monitoring. Specific attention is paid to the role of democratic governance and the rule of law in the enlargement process, with a comparative analysis of the different waves of enlargement from Western to Central and Eastern Europe. The thesis concludes with an assessment of the lessons learnt from past enlargements. It identifies the need to reform the accession process to address contemporary challenges such as geopolitical tensions, economic disparities and democratic backsliding. Proposals for a more flexible and conditional accession procedure, enhanced monitoring mechanisms, and stricter enforcement of EU values are proposed as potential strategies for future enlargement. Drawing on historical examples and current debates, this thesis provides a comprehensive overview of the EU's enlargement policy. It offers recommendations for optimising future enlargement while maintaining the stability and cohesion of the Union. Description: LL.M.

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z