/library/oar/handle/123456789/1902 2025-11-08T21:42:45Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/137713 Title: Malta [Palgrave handbook on the 2024 European Parliament elections] Authors: Sammut, Ivan Abstract: On the eve of the 2024 European Parliament election, the Labour Party (PL [Partit Laburista], S&D) had just emerged from its third consecutive general election landslide two years earlier. The Nationalist Party (PN [Partit Nazzjonalista], EPP) was led by a newly installed leader following the ousting of its previous weakest leader. He failed to unite the core vote behind him and was unable to lead the party into the 2022 general election. The PL’s victory in the 2024 election initially appeared to be a foregone conclusion even though the party and the government were linked to widespread corruption, including a mention in the Panama Papers, and rule of law issues, including the assassination of the world-famous investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. However, corruption and the rule of law issues are not necessarily considered bread and butter issues by a majority of the electorate, and with good economic growth, the result is not a surprise. However, in 2024, this was not to be the case. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/136395 Title: Translating European Union law : an innovative way of looking at translation theories Authors: Sammut, Ivan Abstract: The paper discusses whether traditional translation theories can be applied to the translation of European Union (EU) law. It will start by explaining EU multilingualism. Then, from the law, the discussion moves to translation techniques and whether they can apply to EU law. Then, the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union is discussed within the context of harmonisation of European Union law. Will the theological approach carry the day, or will the literal approach be the norm? The paper concludes with a discussion on using a lingua franca as a working language and the effect of Euro-English. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/136006 Title: Self-preferencing in the digital markets : a new offence under article 102 TFEU? Abstract: This research examines the practice of self-preferencing by vertically-integrated digital platforms acting as gatekeepers, and whether such practice may constitute a standalone abuse under article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). This study is carried out against the backdrop of several prominent and public antitrust cases initiated against large digital platforms, or gatekeepers, such as Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google, which have been accused of exploiting their dominant position in one market to allow favourable treatment of their products, giving rise to ‘self-preferencing’ or ‘leveraging’ conduct sanctionable under EU competition law. By analysing decisions delivered by the courts and the European Commission, this dissertation examines how progressively the practice of self-preferencing has been construed as a standalone abuse within the ambit of article 102 TFEU. Chapter 1 identifies the main features of digital markets in the competition landscape and the types of leveraging behaviour developed. Chapter 2 examines how self-preferencing may fall within the scope of ‘traditional’ antitrust theories. Chapter 3 delves into the watershed Google Shopping case explaining the rationale which led to the courts classifying self-preferencing as a separate theory of harm under article 102 TFEU. Chapter 4 critically examines the legal tests developed by the courts in Google Shopping and their application to self-preferencing cases. Chapter 5 discusses the effects of the ex-ante regulations introduced by the Digital Markets Act in respect of gatekeepers. This research argues that notwithstanding the pronouncement by the courts in Google Shopping, self-preferencing as a label continues to overlap with existing legal categories. Additionally, the lack of the development of a legal test complicates its application in other anticompetitive cases. Description: LL.M. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/136005 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