The Netherlands is a civil-law country. Its laws are written. The role of case law is small in theory, but in practice it is impossible to understand the law in many fields without taking into account the relevant case law. The primary law-making body is formed by the Dutch Parliament in...

Poland is a unified state with a uniform, continental legal system. The supreme legal act in Poland is the 1997 Constitution,1 which, among other things, declares that the Republic of Poland is a democratic state that follows the rule of law, implementing the principles of social justice...

Norway is based on a civil law system, with the Constitution at the top and national laws and regulations defining the system in detail. The interpretation of laws is based on both preparatory works and interpretations by the courts. The court system is based on three levels: the municipal...

The legal system in Romania is a civil law system. At the top of the legislative hierarchy is the Constitution, followed by organic laws, ordinary laws and government decisions. The court structure is organised at three levels - at first instance, on a first appeal and appeals on grounds of law;...

Latvia is a multi-ethnic country, although the proportion of the different ethnic groups among its population has varied. Ethnic origin is recorded in the population register. It is based on the ethnicity of either of a person's parents and can be changed upon reaching the age of majority by...

The key to the French legal approach to racism and discrimination is based on the abstract universalistic formal concept of equality, enshrined in a range of instruments, including the Constitutions of 1946 and 1958. The resulting legal framework has developed along two complementary lines: the...