Considered politically moribund before Sept. 11, the move to revise the tort law system, which governs civil liability, has gained significant momentum.

The European Union needs rules governing environmental liability as a matter of urgency.

I therefore consider it very important to devise general regulations governing liability for environmental damage.

A far greater contribution would be if a piece of EU legislation governing environmental liability with regard to dangerous cargo were to be laid down.

We also believe it to be very important for common rules governing liability for damage to be drawn up at international level.

Furthermore, they contain clauses expressly prohibiting the introduction of provisions governing wider environmental liability.

That would, in my view, be a total mistake, and it would in actual fact destroy the rules governing environmental liability already established in many Member States.

It is unfortunately likely to be necessary to introduce further rules governing liability in respect of abuse and breaches of the law in connection with electronic money.

Tort Law: Standards and principles governing legal liability for intentional and unintentional invasions of interests of person and property.

Senior officials at the European Commission, the European Union's executive body, will in the coming weeks vote on the proposal, which would govern noncontractual liability in cross-border disputes within the union of 15 nations.