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Introduction to Private International Law

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Book cover The Impact of the European Convention on Human Rights on Private International Law

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Abstract

This chapter a concise presentation of important issues of private international law, introduces the concept of private international law to readers less familiar with this topic. In this chapter important issues, such as the internationality of the sources of private international law, are discussed. Furthermore, the first foray into the discussion of the impact of the ECHR on private international law will be found here, as in this chapter the notion of the public policy exception as the instrument of private international law which has been used historically to deal with the impact of fundamental rights, is considered.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See for a general overview with regard to private international law, e.g., Bucher 2011; Cheshire et al. 2010; Clarkson and Hill 2011; Dicey et al. 2012; Dutoit 2005; Niboyet and De Geouffre de la Pradelle 2011; Siehr 2002; Strikwerda 2012.

  2. 2.

    Cf. Kegel 1994, Chap. 1, pp. 1–2.

  3. 3.

    See with regard to France, e.g., Audit 2008, p. 767ff; see with regard to Belgium, e.g., Erauw 2006, pp. 7–8.

  4. 4.

    See infra n. 38.

  5. 5.

    See also supra Chap. 1.

  6. 6.

    See, e.g., Bogdan 2011, p. 71ff.

  7. 7.

    See, e.g., Bogdan 2011, p. 85.

  8. 8.

    See supra Sect. 1.1.

  9. 9.

    See, e.g., Dicey et al. 2012, pp. 4–5; Clarkson and Hill 2011, pp. 9–12.

  10. 10.

    See, e.g., Dicey et al. 2012, p. 5.

  11. 11.

    See, e.g., Clarkson and Hill 2011, pp. 18–19.

  12. 12.

    Von Savigny 1880, p. 64ff.

  13. 13.

    Bogdan 2011, pp. 49–70.

  14. 14.

    See, e.g., Gaudemet-Tallon 2005, p. 47.

  15. 15.

    See, e.g., Basedow 2000, pp. 687–708; Kuipers 2012, pp. 6–27; Stone 2010. The (increasing) importance of European law has also been the subject of study at the Hague Academy a number of the times during the past years: see, e.g., Borrás 2005, pp. 313–536; Fallon 1995, pp. 8–282; Struycken 1992, pp. 256–383.

  16. 16.

    Treaty of Amsterdam, OJ 1997, C 310. With this Treaty the responsibility for creating legislation with regard to international judicial co-operation in civil matters was shifted from the third pillar to the first pillar, i.e. the Community legislator.

  17. 17.

    The Brussels Convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of foreign judgments in civil and commercial matters, 27 September 1968, OJ 1998, C 27/1 (consolidated version following the accession of Austria, Finland, and Sweden).

  18. 18.

    The Rome Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, OJ 1998, C27/34 (consolidated version following the accession of Austria, Finland, and Sweden).

  19. 19.

    Lugano Convention, 24 October 1988, OJ 1988, L 319/9. The Lugano Convention has since been replaced by a new Lugano Convention. See OJ 2007, L 399/1.

  20. 20.

    These States are the Member States to the European Free Trade Association: Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

  21. 21.

    The Commission became so concerned that it even openly discussed sanctions for states that did not approve amendments. See the answer by Commissioner Monti to the European Parliament, OJ 1997, C83/85.

  22. 22.

    Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (Brussels I). This instrument has already a successor: Regulation (EU) No. 1215/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2012 on Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters (Recast), OJ 2012, L 351/1. The Recast will apply from 10 January 2015 (see Article 81 of the Recast).

  23. 23.

    Regulation (EC) No. 593/2008 on the law applicable to contractual obligations (Rome I).

  24. 24.

    See, e.g., Regulation (EC) No. 805/2004 creating European Enforcement Order for Uncontested Claims, OJ 2004, L 143 (Amending Act Regulation (EC) 1869/2005, OJ 2005, L 300) and the Regulation EC 861/2007 establishing a European Small Claims Procedure, OJ 2007, L 199.

  25. 25.

    Regulation (EC) 864/2007 on the law applicable to non-contractual obligations, OJ 2007, L199/40 (Rome II Regulation).

  26. 26.

    Council Regulation (EC) No. 2201/2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, OJ 2003, L 338/1 (Brussels IIbis Regulation).

  27. 27.

    Council Regulation (EU) No. 1259/2010 implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of the law applicable to divorce and legal separation, OJ 2010, L 343/10 (Rome III Regulation).

  28. 28.

    Meeusen 2007, pp. 287–305.

  29. 29.

    von Hein 2008, p. 1676ff; Meeusen 2007, p. 291ff.

  30. 30.

    See further, e.g., de Groot and Kuipers 2008, pp. 109–114.

  31. 31.

    See for an overview of the conventions the website of the Hague Conference [www.hcch.net].

  32. 32.

    See Council Decision (EC) 2006/719 of 5 October 2006 on the accession of the Community to the Hague Conference on Private International Law, OJ 2006 L 297/1.

  33. 33.

    Particularly, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) has drafted some important conventions. The number of conventions concerning private international law concluded by the UN pales in comparison to the number concluded by Hague Conference. Nevertheless, some of them are very important. Examples are the Vienna Convention on the Law Applicable to the International Sale of Goods and the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Arbitral Awards.

  34. 34.

    See, e.g., Articles 69–72 of the Brussels I Regulation (supra n. 22). See with regard to the concurrence of international and bilateral treaties on private international law, e.g., de Boer 2010, pp. 308–315.

  35. 35.

    See with regard to the impact of such treaties on national legislation Siehr 1996, pp. 405–413.

  36. 36.

    Switzerland’s codification came into force in 1987. See on the development of this law, e.g., Vischer 1977, pp. 131–145; Belgium has, for example, introduced a codification of private international law rules in 2004. See with regard to the realization of this law, e.g., Erauw 2006, pp. 19–21. The Netherlands has recently also codified a number of rules of private international law. See infra n. 39. See generally on the codification of private international law Siehr 2005, pp. 17–61.

  37. 37.

    Loi féderale du 18 décembre 1987 sur le droit international privé (LDIP), RS 291, RO 1988 1776.

  38. 38.

    The Swiss Private International Law Act has 12 chapters and roughly 200 articles. In the first chapter of the Law general issues of jurisdiction, applicable law, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are dealt with, in addition to a definition of domicile and nationality. This general chapter is followed by chapters on natural persons (Chap. 2), marriage (Chap. 3), children and adoption (Chap. 4), guardianship (Chap. 5), succession (Chap. 6), property (Chap. 7), intellectual property (Chap. 8), obligations (Chap. 9), corporations (Chap. 10), international bankruptcy (Chap. 11), and international arbitration (Chap. 12).

  39. 39.

    Vaststellings- en Invoeringswet Boek 10 Burgerlijk Wetboek [Determination and Implementation Book 10 of the Dutch Civil Code], 19 May 2011, Stb. 2011, 272. See on the realization of this codification, e.g., Vlas 2010, pp. 167–182.

  40. 40.

    See, e.g., Dicey et al. 2012, pp. 10–11.

  41. 41.

    See infra Chaps. 5–8.

  42. 42.

    See Kinsch 2007, pp. 171–192 for an overview of the historical use of the public policy exception in this regard. See also Kinsch 2004, pp. 419–435.

  43. 43.

    See particularly infra Sects. 4.4; 4.4.3.2; 6.3; 8.2.3.

  44. 44.

    See for an extended discussion of the public policy exception, e.g., Lagarde 1994, Chap. 11; Mills 2008, pp. 201–236.

  45. 45.

    International Court of Justice, Netherlands v. Sweden (Case concerning the Application of the Convention of 1902 governing the Guardianship of Infants, Judgment of 28 November 1958), ICJ Rep. 55.

  46. 46.

    Separate Opinion of Judge Sir Hersch Lauterpacht in the Boll case, p. 92 (41) (supra n. 45).

  47. 47.

    Cf. Mills 2008, p. 201. See also HR 10 September 1999, NJ 2001, 41.

  48. 48.

    An (in)famous historical example of an international convention without a public policy exception is the 1902 Hague Convention relating to the settlement of the conflict of the laws concerning marriage. Instead of a general public policy exception, this convention contained a list of outlawed marriage impediments. However, racial impediments were not on the list, which became a problem in many countries party to this convention during the years leading up to World War II. Cf. Strikwerda 2012. See also Bogdan 2011, pp. 169–170.

  49. 49.

    See infra Sect. 3.3.

  50. 50.

    See, e.g., Mills 2008, p. 202.

  51. 51.

    Pillet 1903, p. 367. Translation provided by Dolinger 2000, p. 275.

  52. 52.

    See further infra Sect. 6.3.3.3.

  53. 53.

    Although some debate over this issue remains. See Dolinger 2000, p. 289ff.

  54. 54.

    See, e.g., Article 16 of the 1980 Rome Convention on the Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations, OJ 1998, C27/34. This is also a condition for the application of the public policy exceptions found in national legislation. See, e.g. Articles 15 and 27 of the Swiss Private International Law Act.

  55. 55.

    See, e.g., Lagarde 1994, p. 21ff.

  56. 56.

    See, e.g., Bogdan 2011, pp. 174–179; Bucher 1993, pp. 47–56; Lagarde 1994, pp. 21–43 (11-24–11-51). Cf. de Boer 2008, pp. 298–300. See on the functioning of the public policy exception also the handbooks cited supra n. 1.

  57. 57.

    See Jessurun d’Oliveira 1975, pp. 239–261.

  58. 58.

    Bucher 2004, p. 18. See further also infra Sect. 6.3.3.3.

  59. 59.

    See, e.g., van Houtte 2002, p. 846; cf. Mills 2008, p. 213ff. See also more recently Chong 2012, pp. 88–113. However, whether such a universal public policy exception truly exists has been questioned. See, e.g. Bogdan 2011, p. 178.

  60. 60.

    See on the idea that not all the rights guaranteed in the ECHR may belong to a core that always needs protection also further infra Sect. 4.4.2.

  61. 61.

    See further Sect. 6.3.3.3.

  62. 62.

    See with regard to mandatory rules, e.g., Bonomi 1999, pp. 215–247; Cheshire et al. 2010, pp. 150–151; Strikwerda 2012, p. 54, 63–70.

  63. 63.

    See, e.g. Article 7(1) of the Rome Convention {look up} and Articles 17 and 18 of the Swiss Private International Law Act.

  64. 64.

    See Bonomi 1999, pp. 229–230, who argues that the difference between the two mechanisms is very subtle.

  65. 65.

    See further Sects. 4.4 and 6.3.3.3.

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    Louwrens Rienk Kiestra

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Kiestra, L.R. (2014). Introduction to Private International Law. In: The Impact of the European Convention on Human Rights on Private International Law. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6265-032-9_2

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