The Commission on European Family Law published its "Principles of European Family Law Regarding Divorce and Maintenance Between Former Spouses" in 2004 as a contribution towards the establishment of a European Family Law. Only by empirical testing of the Principles in a number of legal systems can one demonstrate whether they are acceptable and/or are regarded as an improvement on existing national laws. This edited volume seeks to test the Principles in a range of legal systems, some already considered by the CEFL: France, Scandinavia, England, Scotland; some untested: Malta, Estonia, Lithuania and Turkey; and in so doing to assess these legal systems in view of the Principles, and the Principles in view of these legal systems. The final part of the volume is a comparative assessment of the findings, looking at the Principles first as harmonious ideals, and then as shortfalls in these ideals and at the obstacles to harmonisation.
Esin Orucu is Professor Emerita of Comparative Law and Honorary Senior Research Fellow, University of Glasgow; and Professor Emerita of Comparative Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam. She was born in 1940 in Istanbul. She graduated from Istanbul University, Law Faculty. She completed her PhD in Istanbul University. She is a member of the Istanbul Bar. She has been working and living in Britain since 1976. She also was part time Professor in the Netherlands (EUR) until 2005. She is retired but still teaches in Glasgow (Mixed legal systems).