The Observatory on Comparative Corporate Law and Governance is an important side-product of the European Network Project, and consists in the continuous online update of national company law and governance surveys. The European Network Project carries out a comparative research on the basic principles underlying the law of corporations throughout Europe and in the US. In particular, the international study group elaborates on the main elements which, starting from the 19th Century, have led to the present legal structure of corporations.
Main emphasis is given to the following issues: the position of corporations in the capital markets, the role of investors (both private and public), the relationship between majority and minority shareholders, the separation between ownership and control, scope and meaning of fiduciary duties.
The Project is directed by an Executive Committee (Professors Visentini and Nuzzo - Italy, Professor Pinto - US, Professor Grundmann - Germany) and is coordinated by Dr. E. Ruggiero (CERADI – Luiss Guido Carli) and by Professor S. Bruno (University of Calabria). The study group also includes, for the UK, Professor J. Getzler and Professor D. Prentice, from Oxford. Other professors and researchers of the States mentioned above, as well as of other European States (such as France, UK, The Netherlands, Spain) are also participating.