In all legal systems of the European Union the law of contract and the law of tort form the main pillars of the law of obligations. Legal history and comparative law show, however, that it is not possible to cope with these two bodies of rules alone – even if their scope of application is generously conceived. Another part of the law of obligations, alongside the law of unjustified enrichment, which to some extent lies “between” contract and tort and fills the gaps that those areas of the law leave behind, is subject of this Book. The Study Group on a European Civil Code has drafted Principles relating to the unsolicited and voluntary undertaking of another’s affairs on the basis of a reasonable ground for intervention: “Principles of European Law: Benevolent Intervention in Another’s Affairs”.

This timely Research Handbook addresses the cutting edges of the Brussels Ibis Regulation, in particular its place within the overall system of EU law and its adaptations in response to lawsuits or the needs of particular industries. Featuring original research by leading academics from across Europe, chapters take a systematic approach to examining a broad variety of topics in relation to this, analysing the most recent developments in legislation and practice and providing an outlook on the future of this field of EU law.

In this volume, the Study Group and the Acquis Group present the first academic Draft of a Common Frame of Reference (DCFR). The Draft is based in part on a revised version of the Principles of European Contract Law (PECL) and contains Principles, Definitions and Model Rules of European Private Law in an interim outline edition. It covers the books on contracts and other juridical acts, obligations and corresponding rights, certain specific contracts, and non-contractual obligations. One purpose of the text is to provide material for a possible "political" Common Frame of Reference (CFR) which was called for by the European Commission's Action Plan on a More Coherent European Contract Law of January 2003.

A year ago, the "Draft Common Frame of Reference" was published for the first time in an interim outline edition. Now we proudly present the final outline edition of the DCFR. - revision of the already published text to take account of the public discussion - major new topics covered - an additional section on the principles underlying the model rules - revised and expanded list of definitions The six-volume full edition of the DCFR including all comments and notes will be published in October 2009.

The rules presented in this volume of "Principles of European Law" deal with service contracts. The economic importance of service contracts within the European Union is enormous. The European Commission recently estimated that services account for some 50% of EU GDP and for some 60% of employment in the Union – though an exact figure is hard to determine given that many services are provided by manufacturers of goods. According to the European Commission, many services appear in official statistics as manufacturing activity, meaning that the role of services in the economy is often significantly underestimated.

In European law, "non-contractual liability arising out of damage caused to another" is one of the three main non-contractual obligations dealt with in the Draft of a Common Frame of Reference. The law of non-contractual liability arising out of damage caused to another - in the common law known as tort law or the law of torts, but in most other jurisdictions referred to as the law of delict - is the area of law which determines whether one who has suffered a damage, can on that account demand reparation - in money or in kind - from another with whom there may be no other legal connection than the causation of damage itself. Besides determining the scope and extent of responsibility for dangers of one's own or another's creation, this field of law serves to protect fundamental rights in the private law domain, that is to say horizontally between citizens inter se. Based on pan-European comparative research which annotates the work, this book presents model rules on liability. Explanatory comments and illustrations amplify the policy decisions involved. During the drafting process, comparative material from over 25 different EU jurisdictions has been taken into account. The work therefore is not only a presentation of a future model for European rules to come, but also provides a fairly detailed indication of the present legal situation in the Member States.

In October 2008 the European Commission published its Proposal for a Consumer Rights Directive which puts forward far-reaching changes to the core of consumer contract law: Four current directives are to be replaced by a new, overarching piece of legislation and in doing so full harmonisation for the most part is to take the place of the minimum standard presently in force in the EU. Although a welcome initiative, the extent and possible effects of the Proposal have certainly brought a number of issues to the fore. In January 2009, legal experts from universities, practice and the civil service met to address the points raised by the Proposal and the question of the extent to which it can indeed contribute to the modernisation and harmonisation of European consumer contract law. The papers presented at this conference analysed, criticised and suggested improvements for the Proposal and are published in this volume.

This volume offers an in-depth analysis of the current status of the law and legal practice of personal security rights in the EU. The impact of the financial crisis is specifically considered and the treatment of personal security rights in the Basel II Accord is critically addressed. While focusing on Italian and Spanish legal systems, this comparative study includes extensive references to other EU Member States. The influence of EU private law on this area is also explored. The implications of a harmonised regime for personal security rights in the EU are analysed both from an economic and a legal perspective. In this context, specific reference is made to the latest academic works and policy proposals for EU legal unification ( Principles of European Contract Law / Draft Common Frame of Reference ).

This excellent series presents comparative study, analysis and evaluation of 28 European legal systems in the field of transfer of movables. Major topics are the notion of ownership, the derivative acquisition of ownership (e.g. by a sales contract), the good faith acquisition of ownership and other property rights, the multiple sale of the same movable, the protection of possession, positive (acquisitive) prescription, and processing and consolidation. The work is based on comprehensive country reports (which are to be published) on the relevant legal rules in Europe and has the drafting and publication of text proposals of uniform European rules - with commentary and comparative notes - as its primary goal. It intends to influence the future development of European private law on the EU level. This fourth volume of the series presents "up-to-date" national reports of France Belgium Bulgaria Poland Portugal