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Harmonising European Private International Law: A Replay of Hannibal's Crossing of the Alps?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2019

Extract

In 218 BC, the Carthaginian general Hannibal (247-182) achieved a most extraordinary feat: he crossed both the Pyrenees Mountains and the Alps with an army of about 38.000 soldiers, 8.000 Cavalry and 37 elephants, aiming to win the Second Punic War by a bold invasion of Italy before the Romans were prepared. Even if his attempts to defeat the Roman legions failed in the end, common lore stills tells the story of the elephants crossing the Col du Mont Genevre in deep snow, setting thus an example of a near impossible achievement for generations to come.

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Copyright © 2006 by the International Association of Law Libraries 

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References

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28 As a general rule the Regulation replaces the existing conventions between two or more Member States that concern the same matters, and it will prevail over certain multilateral conventions on relations between Member States that concern matters governed by the Regulation: the Hague Convention of 1961 (law applicable to protection of minors), the Luxembourg Convention of 1967 (recognition of decisions on marriage), the Hague Convention of 1970 (recognition of divorces), the European Convention of 1980 (custody of children), and the Hague Convention of 1980 (civil aspects of international child abduction). Special provisions are applicable to:Google Scholar

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29 Cf. the Hague Convention on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition, enforcement and cooperation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children, OJ L 48, 21.2.2003, p. 313 and 2003/93/EC: Council Decision of 19 December 2002 authorizing the Member States, in the interest of the Community, to sign the 1996 Hague Convention on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition, enforcement and cooperation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children, OJ L 48, 21.2.2003, p. 12.Google Scholar

30 With regard to relations with the Hague Convention of 19 October 1996 on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition, enforcement and cooperation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children, the EC Regulation is fully applicable if the child in question is habitually resident in a Member State. The rules on recognition and enforcement also apply if the competent court in a Member State issues a judgment, even if the child in question is habitually resident in a non-Member State that is a party to the Hague Convention.Google Scholar

31 Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters.Google Scholar

32 In certain cases of relocation, that is of a lawful change of residence of a child, where the courts of the Member State of the former residence of the child have already issued a judgment on parental responsibility (particularly as concerns rights of access), this matter continues to come under the jurisdiction of the courts of that State. Moreover, the spouses may accept the jurisdiction of the divorce court to also decide on matters of parental responsibility.Google Scholar

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33 This provision applies, for instance, to cases of refugee children or children internationally displaced because of disturbances occurring in their countries of origin.Google Scholar

34 See also Convention on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition, enforcement and cooperation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children OJ L 048, 21/02/2003 p. 0003 – 0013.Google Scholar

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36 Council regulation (EC) No 1346/2000 of 29 May 2000 on insolvency proceedings, OJ L 160 30.06.2000 p. 1.Google Scholar

37 Except where the effects of such recognition would be contrary to the State's public policy; in the case of judgments which might result in a limitation of personal freedom or postal secrecy. However, restrictions on creditors’ rights (a stay or discharge) are possible only in the case of those who have given their consent.Google Scholar

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40 Convention on the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980, and to the First and Second Protocols on its interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Communities, Official Journal C 169, 08/07/2005 p. 0001 – 0009.Google Scholar

41 1980 Rome Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations (consolidated version), Official Journal C 027, 26/01/1998 P. 0034 – 0046.Google Scholar

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43 These rules do not apply to contracts of carriage or contracts for the supply of services in a country other than that in which the consumer has his habitual residence.Google Scholar

44 David Lefranc, La spécificité des règles de conflit de lois en droit communautaire dérivé, Rev. crit. DIP, 2005, p. 412.Google Scholar

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46 Directive on the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State (1993/7, 15.3.1993); Directive on unfair contract terms (1993/13, 5.4.1993); Directive on time-sharing (1994/47, 26.10.1994); Directive concerning the posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services (1996/71, 16.12.1996); Directive 97/7, 20.5.1997 on the protection of consumers in respect of distance contracts; Directive 1999/44, 25.5.1999 on certain aspects of the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees; Second non-life insurance Directive (1988/357, 22.6.1988) as supplemented and amended by Directive 1992/49 and 2002/13; Second life assurance Directive (1990/619, 8.11.1990) as supplemented and amended by Directives 1992/96 and 2002/12Google Scholar

47 It covers the following online sectors and activities in particular: newspapers, databases, financial services, professional services (solicitors, doctors, accountants, estate agents), entertainment services (video on demand, for example), direct marketing and advertising and Internet access services.Google Scholar

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54 Another source of divergent interpretations is that certain Member States have chosen to incorporate the provisions of the Convention in their national legislation by statute, sometimes amending the original text.Google Scholar

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57 This was the case, for example for the Directive on unfair terms adopted in 1993. This directive provides that a “consumer does not lose the protection of the Directive by virtue of the choice of the law of a non-member country as the law applicable to the contract if the latter has a close connection with the territory of the Member States”. Yet, if the same contract were subjected to the Rome Convention, it is not at all improbable that the law of the said third country would apply. In other terms, the consumer victim of unfair contract terms benefits from a better protection than a consumer whose contract is considered to be normal.Google Scholar

58 Uwe Blaurock, Vermutungen und Ausweichklausel in Art. 4 EVÜ – ein tauglicher Kompromiss zwischen starren Anknüpfungsregeln und einem flexible approach?, Festschrift Hans Stoll, Mohr Siebeck 2001, S. 463. – Jonathan Hill, Choice of Law of Contract under the Rome Convention: The Approach of the UK Courts, ICLQ Vol. 53, April 2004, p. 325. – Simon Atrill, Choice of Law in Contract: The Missing Pieces of The Article 4 Jigsaw?, ICLQ, Vol. 53, July 2004, p. 549.Google Scholar

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60 This should change in the future with the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on the law applicable to contractual obligations (Rome I)/* COM/2005/0650 final – COD 2005/0261 */ see the proposed Article 4 – Applicable law in the absence of choice Google Scholar

1. To the extent that the law applicable to the contract has not been chosen in accordance with Article 3, the contract shall be governed by the law determined as follows: Google Scholar

(a) a contract of sale shall be governed by the law of the country in which the seller has his habitual residence; Google Scholar

(b) a contract for the provision of services shall be governed by the law of the country in which the service provider has his habitual residence; Google Scholar

(c) a contract of carriage shall be governed by the law of the country in which the carrier has his habitual residence; Google Scholar

(d) a contract relating to a right in rem or right of user in immovable property shall be governed by the law of the country in which the property is situated; Google Scholar

(e) notwithstanding point (d), a lease for the temporary personal use of immovable property for a period of no more than six consecutive months shall be governed by the law of the country in which the owner has his habitual residence, provided the tenant is a natural person and has his habitual residence in the same country; Google Scholar

(f) a contract relating to intellectual or industrial property rights shall be governed by the law of the country in which the person who transfers or assigns the rights has his habitual residence; Google Scholar

(g) a franchise contract shall be governed by the law of the country in which the franchised person has his habitual residence; Google Scholar

(h) a distribution contract shall be governed by the law of the country in which the distributor has his habitual residence.Google Scholar

2. Contracts not specified in paragraph 1 shall be governed by the law of the country in which the party who is required to perform the service characterising the contract has his habitual residence at the time of the conclusion of the contract. Where that service cannot be identified, the contract shall be governed by the law of the country with which it is most closely connected.Google Scholar

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62 Sylvette Guillemard, Alain Prujiner, La codification internationale du droit international privé: un échec?, (2005) 46 Les Cahiers de droit 175.Google Scholar