JENS LOWITZSCH is Lawyer and senior researcher at the Inter-University Centre at the Institute for Eastern European Studies of the Free University of Berlin, where he received his doctoral degree in law in 2002. Being a specialist in civil law, European law and financial participation of employees, he acquired an economic background in various research and consulting projects. His involvement in technical assistance in the transition countries of Central and Eastern Europe focuses on insolvency law, business law, and privatization law.