{"id":570,"date":"2010-07-05T14:01:53","date_gmt":"2010-07-05T12:01:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eusoco.eu\/?p=570"},"modified":"2011-01-04T19:08:08","modified_gmt":"2011-01-04T17:08:08","slug":"ec-seeks-contract-law-solutions-press-release-and-public-consultation-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/?p=570","title":{"rendered":"EC seeks contract law solutions – Press release and public consultation paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

Note:\u00a0 (Jan 2011)\u00a0 Some of the links below are no longer working due to EC website and internal restructuring (e.g. former DG SANCO units in charge of contract law have been transfered to the competence of DG Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship).<\/p>\n

Updated link to consultation page: http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/justice\/news\/consulting_public\/news_consulting_0052_en.htm<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Green Paper German<\/a><\/p>\n

Green Paper English<\/a><\/p>\n

Green Paper Francais<\/a><\/p>\n

Green Paper Italiano<\/a><\/p>\n

Public consultation has opened: From <\/strong>01.07.2010<\/strong> to <\/strong>31.01.2011.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
European Commission seeks contract law solutions to smooth Single Market for consumers and businesses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Reference:\u00a0 IP\/10\/872 \u00a0\u00a0 Date:\u00a0 01\/07\/2010<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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HTML:<\/td>\nEN<\/a> FR<\/a> DE<\/a> DA<\/a> ES<\/a> NL<\/a> IT<\/a> SW<\/a> PT<\/a> FI<\/a> EL<\/a> CS<\/a> ET<\/a> HU<\/a> LT<\/a> LV<\/a> MT<\/a> PL<\/a> SK<\/a> SL<\/a> BG<\/a> RO<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

IP\/10\/872<\/p>\n

Brussels, 1 July 2010<\/p>\n

European Commission seeks contract law solutions to smooth Single Market for consumers and businesses<\/p>\n

Contracts are the basic building blocks for relationships between businesses and consumers. The European Union’s Single Market is built on contract laws. However, businesses – particularly small and medium-sized companies – are hampered in cross-border sales because they must follow different contract laws for each of the EU’s 27 Member States. Only 8% of consumers buy online from another Member State (Consumer Scoreboard 3rd<\/sup> ed.<\/a>). In addition, 61% of cross-border sales are rejected because traders refuse to serve the consumer’s country. This is largely due to regulatory barriers and legal uncertainty about the applicable rules. To address some of these problems and boost the potential of Europe’s Single Market, the European Commission proposed today, in a strategic policy paper, several options for a more coherent approach to contract law. The goal is to bring more legal certainty for businesses and simpler rules for consumers. A public consultation on the policy paper will run until 31 January 2011.<\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

„I want a Polish, German or Spanish consumer to feel as safe when doing business with an Italian, Finnish or French company online as when they are at home. And I want Europe’s small and medium-sized companies to offer their products and services to consumers in other countries without having to become experts in the national contract law systems of all other 26 EU countries,<\/em>“ said Vice-President Viviane Reding, the EU’s Justice Commissioner. „I call on consumers and businesses from all 27 Member States to contribute actively to the Commission’s public consultation. This is certainly a time of crisis for <\/em>Europe<\/em>’s economy. But it is also a time where we have an historic opportunity to drive economic growth by easing the cost of cross-border transactions. It is therefore now the time to make a quantum leap towards a more European contract law.“<\/em><\/p>\n

Contracts are essential for running businesses and making sales to consumers. They formalise an agreement between parties and can cover a broad range of matters, including the sale of goods and the provision of a service like the booking a flight or obtaining a loan. In a business-to-consumer contract<\/strong>, for example, an Irish consumer buys an MP3 player online from a French retailer. In this case, Irish contract law would apply if the French retailer has designed his website for Irish consumers<\/p>\n

Europe’s Single Market is based on a wide variety of contracts that are governed by different national contract laws. The co-existence of different rules can lead to additional transaction costs, increased legal uncertainty for businesses and lack of consumer confidence. Both consumers and businesses face significant barriers when they seek to take advantage of the EU’s Single Market. Transaction costs (like adapting contractual terms and commercial policies or obtaining translation of the rules) and legal uncertainty involved in dealing with foreign contract laws make it particularly hard for small and medium-sized enterprises, which make up 99% of all enterprises in the EU, to expand within the Single Market.<\/p>\n

The Commission, therefore, proposed different ways to make contract law more coherent in a Green Paper adopted today. Among the policy options<\/strong> considered are:<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The publication on the web of (non-binding) model contract rules<\/strong> which could be used in Europe’s Single Market.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A (binding or non-binding) „toolbox“ for EU lawmakers<\/strong> when they adopt new legislation to ensure better and more coherent rules.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A Contract Law<\/strong> Recommendation<\/strong> that would call on EU Member States to include a European contract law into their national legal systems, thereby partly following the model of the United States where all but one of the 50 states voluntarily adopted the Uniform Commercial Code.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An optional European Contract Law<\/strong> (or a „28th<\/sup> system“), which could be chosen freely by consumers and businesses in their contractual relations. This optional law would be an alternative to the existing national contract laws and would be available in all languages. It could apply in cross-border contracts only, or in both cross-border and domestic contracts. It would have to guarantee a high level of consumer protection and legal certainty throughout the life cycle of a contract.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Harmonisation of national contract laws<\/strong> by means of an EU Directive.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Full harmonisation of national contract laws<\/strong> by means of an EU Regulation.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The creation of a full-fledged European Civil Code<\/strong>, replacing all national rules on contracts.<\/p>\n

Background<\/p>\n

Under the Europe 2020<\/a> strategy – launched by President Jos\u00e9 Manuel Barroso on 3 March 2010 (IP\/10\/225<\/a>), the Commission is currently tackling bottlenecks in the Single Market to drive economic recovery. This includes working on harmonised solutions for consumer contracts, EU model contract clauses and making progress towards an optional European contract law. The creation of an optional contract law instrument is also one of the key actions in the Commission’s Digital Agenda for Europe<\/a> issued on 19 May 2010.<\/p>\n

The European Parliament gave its backing to the idea of an optional European Contract Law in a resolution<\/a> on 25 November 2009. Former Internal Market and Competition Commissioner Mario Monti also identified in his Single Market Report of 9 May<\/a> the advantages that an optional „28th<\/sup> system“ would bring for consumers and businesses.<\/p>\n

On 12 May, the Commission convened a new expert group to transform the so-called „Draft Common Frame of Reference<\/a>“ – a first draft for a European contract law developed over the past years under the EU’s Research Programme – into a simple, user-friendly workable solution adapted to the needs of consumers and the reality of the business environment (IP\/10\/595<\/a>). The group, which is composed of legal experts and practitioners from all over Europe, is currently meeting once a month in Brussels. The public consultation started today will help ensure that the group addresses the most important problems faced today by consumers and businesses in the field of contract law.<\/p>\n

The consultation will run until 31 January 2011. Its results will help the Commission prepare proposals before 2012.<\/p>\n

For more information<\/p>\n

The „Green Paper<\/strong> on policy options for progress towards a European Contract Law for consumers and businesses“<\/strong> adopted by the Commission today is published at:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/justice_home\/news\/consulting_public\/news_consulting_public_en.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

Justice and Home Affairs Newsroom:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/justice_home\/news\/intro\/news_intro_en.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

Homepage of Viviane Reding, Vice-President and Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/commission_2010-2014\/reding\/index_en.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

SPEECH\/10\/353\u00a0 Date:\u00a0 01\/07\/2010<\/p>\n

Viviane Reding Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship EU Citizens‘ Rights Conference – The way forward Brussels, 1 July 2010<\/a><\/p>\n

HTML: EN<\/a><\/p>\n

—-<\/p>\n

Consulting the public – European Commission<\/h5>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Title<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Green Paper from the Commission on policy options for progress towards a European Contract Law for consumers and businesses<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Policy field(s)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Justice; Civil and contract law<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Target group(s)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
We welcome contributions from all citizens and stakeholders, Member States, EU institutions, national, regional and local authorities, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, academia, social partners and civil society organisations.<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Period of consultation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
From <\/strong>01.07.2010<\/strong> to <\/strong>31.01.2011<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Objective of the consultation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The internal market is built on a multitude of contracts governed by different national contract laws. Yet, differences between national contract laws may entail additional transaction costs and legal uncertainty for businesses and lead to a lack of consumer confidence in the internal market. Divergences in contract law rules may require businesses to adapt their contractual terms. Furthermore, diverging national laws are rarely available in other European languages, which imply that market actors need to take advice from a lawyer who knows the laws of the legal system.<\/p>\n

The Commission wants citizens to take full advantage of the internal market. The Union must do more to ease cross-border transactions. The purpose of this Green Paper is to set out the options on how to strengthen the internal market by making progress in the area of European Contract Law, and launch a public consultation on them. Depending on the evaluation of the results of the consultation, the Commission could propose further action by 2012.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

How to submit your contribution<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
We welcome contributions from citizens, organisations and public authorities.<\/p>\n
View the questionnaire<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Green Paper from the Commission on policy options for progress towards a European Contract Law for consumers and businesses<\/a> \"Deutsch\"<\/a>\"English\"<\/a>\"Fran\u00e7ais\"<\/a>\"PDF[73 KB]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Reference documents and other, related consultations<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Contact details<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Responsible service : Directorate General JUSTICE, Unit A2 Civil and contract law<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
E-mail : jls-communication-e5@ec.europa.eu<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Postal address :<\/p>\n
European Commission
\nDirectorate General JUSTICE
\nUnit A2 Civil and contract law
\nRue de la Loi 200
\nB-1049, Brussels
\nBelgium <\/address>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of responses received to this consultation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
View the contributions<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
In the interests of transparency, organisations have been invited to provide the public with relevant information about themselves by registering in the Interest Representative Register and subscribing to its Code of Conduct. If the organisation is not registered, the submission is published separately from the registered organisations.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Results of consultation and next steps<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Note:\u00a0 (Jan 2011)\u00a0 Some of the links below are no longer working due to EC website and internal restructuring (e.g. former DG SANCO units in charge of contract law have been transfered to the competence of DG Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship). Updated link to consultation page: http:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/justice\/news\/consulting_public\/news_consulting_0052_en.htm Green Paper German Green Paper English Green […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":122,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7,14],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=570"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":610,"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570\/revisions\/610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eusoco.eu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}