Legal Convergence as a Trend of Global Legal development. Review of the Monograph: Bezborodov Yu.S. “Methods and Forms of Legal Convergence in International Law”. Moscow, Prospect, 2020. 240 p. (in Russian).

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. The review reflects the specifics of the methodological approach, implemented by Yu.S. Bezborodov in the analysis of the current phase of interaction between national legal systems and international law. Reference is made to the creation of a new conception that employs the notion of legal convergence to reveal the mechanism of getting national legal systems affinitive to each other. Attention is drawn to the content of legal convergence, the reasons for its dissemination, the link with international law as well as the correlation of convergence with related categories – globalization, universalization, sovereignty, etc. The author’s views on the interrelation between sovereignty and supranationality, universalization and localization as conditions of functioning of international law, constituting the predominant basis of convergence of national legal systems, are presented. The evaluation is given to the author’s position concerning the methods of legal convergence, in particular international legal integration. The emphasis is given to correlation of the presented forms of legal convergence. It is pointed out that comparative and legal analysis of integration in different regions of the world, including in the post-Soviet space, is important for understanding the current results of legal convergence.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study is based on the conclusions and approaches formulated in the peer-reviewed monograph as well as the materials of the domestic and international legal doctrine on the subject-matter concerned. In writing the review the author used general and special scientific methods.RESEARCH RESULTS. The convergence of national legal systems and international law is influenced by different processes either inherent to the mechanism of international legal regulation or extraneous to it. They are distinguished by their considerable specificity and varied character. However, they do not impede legal convergence to be realized through various forms and methods.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. The review of the scientific work led to the following conclusions: a) the author managed to present his own non-contradictory conception of convergence of national legal systems and demonstrate its connection with a number of current social phenomena; b) the monograph provides convincing arguments for the proposed forms and methods of legal convergence; c) the comparative legal characteristics of the regional international integration organizations are detailed and allows to form quite complete and correct comprehension of them. In addition, the review outlines a number of issues interesting for further discussion.