 Usable both as a student textbook and as a general introduction for legal professionals, European Private International Law is designed to reflect the reality of legal practice throughout the EU. The private international law of the Member States is increasingly regulated by the EU, making private international law ever less 'national' and ever more EU based. Consequently, EU law in this area has penetrated national law to a very high degree, making it an essential area of study and an area of increasing importance to practising lawyers throughout the EU. This book provides a thorough overview of core European PIL, including the Brussels I, Rome I and Rome II Regulations (jurisdiction, applicable law for contracts and tort), while additional chapters deal with PIL and insolvency, freedom of establishment and corporate social responsibility.
Contents
Preface vii
Table of Cases xv
Table of Legislation xxv
Table of Conventions, Treaties, etc xxxix
1 Introduction 1
1.1 The Concept, Nature and Development of Private International Law 1
1.2 Sources of Private International Law 3
1.3 The 3 Processes of PIL, and Standard ‘Connecting Factors’ 3
1.3.1 Procedural issues 3
1.3.2 Application of the law 4
1.3.2.1 Characterisation [qualifi cation |FR] of the legal question 5
1.3.2.2 Connecting Factor 5
1.3.2.3 Lex Causae 5
1.4 Characterisation, Renvoi and the ‘incidental’ issue or Vorfrage 5
1.5 Forum shopping and forum non conveniens 8
1.6 The Impact of European Law on the Private International Law of the
Member States 9
1.6.1 Legal basis 9
1.6.2 The Development of European Private International Law Policy 13
2 The Core of European Private International Law: Jurisdiction 19
2.1 Summary 19
2.1.1 The Brussels I Regulation 19
2.1.2 Scope of Application: Subject-Matter 21
2.1.3 Scope of Application – Ratione Personae 22
2.1.4 The Jurisdictional Rules of the Regulation 23
2.2 Detailed Review of the Regulation 24
2.2.1 Trust is Good, Control is Better 24
2.2.2 Scope of application: subject-matter. 25
2.2.2.1 The existence of an international element 25
2.2.2.2 Civil and commercial matters 27
2.2.2.3 Case 29/76 Eurocontrol 28
2.2.2.4 Case 814/79 Ruffer 29
2.2.2.5 Case C-271/00 Gemeente Steenbergen 29
2.2.2.6 Case C-292/05 Lechouritou 31
x Contents
2.2.2.7 Exclusions, inter alia arbitration 32
2.2.3 Scope of application – Ratione Personae 41
2.2.3.1 Domicile 41
2.2.4 The International Impact of the Regulation 44
2.2.5 The Jurisdictional Rules of the Regulation 51
2.2.5.1 A jurisdictional matrix 51
2.2.6 Exclusive Jurisdiction, Regardless of Domicile: Article 22 51
2.2.7 Jurisdiction by appearance: Article 24 60
2.2.8 Insurance, consumer and employment contracts: Articles 8–21 61
2.2.8.1 Protected categories – Generally 61
2.2.8.2 Consumer contracts 62
2.2.8.3 Contract 63
2.2.8.4 Consumer contract 64
2.2.8.5 Concluded with a consumer 64
2.2.8.6 Type of contract – and application in an internet context 65
2.2.8.7 Extended notion of ‘domicile’ for jurisdiction over
consumer contracts 72
2.2.8.8 Alternative fora introduced by agreement 72
2.2.8.9 Contracts for individual employment 74
2.2.8.10 Insurance Contracts 76
2.2.9 Agreements on Jurisdiction (‘choice of forum’ or ‘prorogation of
jurisdiction’): Article 23 77
2.2.9.1 ‘In writing or evidenced in writing’ 81
2.2.9.2 In a form which accords with practices which the parties
have established between themselves 82
2.2.9.3 In international trade or commerce, in a form which accords
with a usage of which the parties are or ought to have been
aware and which in such trade or commerce is widely
known to, and regularly observed by, parties to contracts
of the type involved in the particular trade or commerce
concerned 82
2.2.10 General Jurisdiction: Defendants Domiciled in a Member State
Where a Court is Seized: Article 2 85
2.2.11 ‘Special’ Jurisdiction: Defendants Domiciled in Another Member
State: Articles 5–7 86
2.2.11.1 Article 5(1): Actions Relating to a Contract – Forum
Contractus 86
2.2.11.2 The Special Jurisdictional Rule for Tort: Article 5(3) JR –
Forum delicti commissi 92
2.2.12 Multipartite Litigation and Consolidated Claims: Articles 6 (and 7) 99
2.2.12.1 Multiple Defendants: Article 6(1) 100
Contents xi
2.2.12.2 Warranties, Guarantees and any other Third Party
Proceedings: Article 6(2) 103
2.2.12.3 Counterclaims: Article 6(3) 103
2.2.12.4 Matters Relating to Rights in Rem in Immovable Property:
Article 6(4) 104
2.2.13 ‘Residual’ Jurisdiction: Defendants not Domiciled in any Member
State: Article 4 104
2.2.14 Loss of Jurisdiction: lis alibi pendens; and Related Actions:
Articles 27–30 105
2.2.14.1 Lis alibi pendens 106
2.2.14.2 Identity of Parties 106
2.2.14.3 Identity of Object or ‘Subject-Matter’ 107
2.2.14.4 Identity of Cause of Action 107
2.2.14.5 Lis alibi pendens and the Forum Non Conveniens doctrine 107
2.2.14.6 Related Actions 111
2.2.15 Applications for Provisional or Protective Measures: Article 31 112
2.2.16 Recognition and Enforcement 115
2.2.16.1 Recognition 116
2.2.16.2 Enforcement 122
3 The Core of European Private International Law: Applicable Law –
Contracts 125
3.1 Summary 125
3.1.1 Principles 125
3.1.2 Scope of application 126
3.1.3 Basic principle: Freedom of choice 126
3.1.4 Applicable law in the absence of choice 126
3.2 Detailed review of the Regulation 127
3.2.1 Scope of application 127
3.2.2 Exclusions 129
3.2.3 Universal Application 131
3.2.4 Freedom of Choice 131
3.2.5 Protected Categories 134
3.2.6 Applicable Law in the Absence of Choice 135
3.2.7 Formal Validity, Consent and Capacity 139
3.2.8 Mandatory Law, and Public Order 142
3.2.9 The Relationship with Other Conventions 149
4 The Core of European Private International Law: Applicable Law – Tort 151
4.1 Introduction 151
4.2 General Principles 153
xii Contents
4.3 Scope of Application 154
4.3.1 ‘Situations Involving a Confl ict of Laws’ 154
4.3.2 Only Courts and Tribunals? Application to Arbitration Tribunals 155
4.3.3 ‘Non-Contractual Obligations’ 155
4.3.4 Excluded Matters 157
4.3.5 Civil and Commercial Matters 163
4.4 Applicable Law – General Rule: Lex loci damni 163
4.5 One General Exception to the General Rule and one Escape Clause 165
4.5.1 General Exception: Parties Habitually Resident in the Same
Country 165
4.5.2 Escape Clause: Case Manifestly More Closely Connected with
Other Country 165
4.6 Specifi c Choice of Law Rules for Specifi c Torts – No Specifi c
Rules for ‘Protected Categories’ 166
4.6.1 Product Liability 166
4.6.2 Unfair Competition and Acts Restricting Free Competition 170
4.6.3 Environmental Damage 172
4.6.4 Damage Caused by Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights 174
4.6.5 Damage Caused by Industrial Action 175
4.7 Freedom to Choose Applicable Law 177
4.8 Scope of the Law Applicable 178
4.9 Contract-Related Tort Claims 181
4.10 ‘Overriding’ Mandatory Law and Public Order 181
5 The Insolvency Regulation 183
5.1 The overall nature of and core
approaches to insolvency and private international law 183
5.2 Genesis of the Insolvency Regulation 184
5.3 Scope of application and overall aim 185
5.3.1 Link with the ‘bankruptcy’ exception under the Jurisdiction
Regulation 185
5.3.2 Four cumulative conditions 188
5.3.2.1 Collective proceedings 188
5.3.2.2 Based on the debtor’s insolvency 188
5.3.2.3 Which entail the partial or total divestment of a debtor 189
5.3.2.4 Which entail the appointment of a ‘liquidator’ 189
5.3.3 Opening by a ‘court’ or judicial authority? 189
5.3.4 Core aim of the Regulation 190
5.4 The international impact of the Regulation 191
5.5 The jurisdictional model: Universal jurisdiction based on COMI,
alongside limited territorial procedures 192
Contents xiii
5.5.1 Main insolvency proceeding: Centre of Main Interest – COMI 193
5.5.1.1 ‘COMI’ as (un)defi ned by the Regulation 193
5.5.1.2 European and national case-law on COMI 194
5.5.1.3 Universality of the proceedings opened in the COMI
Member State 197
5.5.1.4 When is an insolvency procedure ‘opened’ within the
meaning of the Regulation? 198
5.5.2 Secondary and territorial insolvency proceedings 199
5.5.2.1 Territorial insolvency proceedings 200
5.5.2.2 Secondary insolvency proceedings 201
5.6 Applicable law 201
5.6.1 Exceptions 202
5.7 Recognition and enforcement of insolvency proceedings 204
5.7.1 Judgments concerning the opening of insolvency proceedings 205
5.7.2 Other judgments in the course of insolvency proceedings 206
5.7.3 Defences against recognition and enforcement 206
5.8 Powers of the liquidator 207
5.9 Future amendment of the Regulation 207
6 Free Movement of Establishment, Lex Societatis and Private International
Law 211
6.1 Daily Mail 215
6.2 Centros 217
6.3 Ǜberseering 218
6.4 Inspire Art 219
6.5 Cartesio – and its mirror image: Vale 221
6.6 Grid Indus 223
7 Private International Law, Corporate Social Responsibility and
Extraterritoriality 227
7.1 The role of Private International Law in operationalizing Corporate
Social Responsibility 227
7.2 The United States: Litigation Based on The Alien Tort Statute 228
7.2.1 Corporate Liability under ATS 230
7.2.2 Standard Operating Procedure or a Lack Thereof 232
7.2.3 International or Domestic Law 232
7.2.4 Obstacles to Justice 234
7.2.4.1 Procedural Dismissal 234
7.2.4.2 Political Dismissal 235
7.2.5 Conclusion on the United States 237
7.3 The European Union 237
xiv Contents
7.3.1 Jurisdiction 237
7.3.1.1 General jurisdictional rule: Article 2 JR 237
7.3.1.2 Special jurisdictional rule: Article 5(5) JR: operations
arising out of a branch 238
7.3.1.3 Special jurisdictional rule: Article 5(3) JR: Tort 239
7.3.1.4 Special jurisdictional rule: Article 5(4) JR 239
7.3.1.5 Review of the JR – The ‘international dimension’ of the
Regulation 239
7.3.2 Applicable law 239
Annexes 241
Brussels I 241
Regulation 1015/2012 264
Rome I 296
Rome II 307
Insolvency Regulation 317
Index 335 |
