Convergence of Private Law in Europe: Towards a New Ius Commune?

COMPARATIVE LAW: A HANDBOOK, Esin Örücü & David Nelken, eds., pp. 219-240, 2007

Oxford: Hart Publishing

24 Pages Posted: 20 Mar 2008 Last revised: 15 May 2008

See all articles by Jan M. Smits

Jan M. Smits

Maastricht University Faculty of Law

Abstract

This contribution - a chapter in a well-known textbook on comparative law - discusses several of the questions which the emergence of a European private law raises. First, attention is paid to the need for convergence of private law: what are the reasons usually given for harmonising or unifying private law and are these reasons in any way convincing? Secondly, the question is raised how convergence of private law takes place at present. Thus, unification by treaties and harmonisation through Directives are discussed, together with the far-ranging idea of creating a European civil code. A third question is whether convergence of private law is at all possible. Some have argued that the differences among the 28 private law systems we have in Europe (27 national systems and Scots law) are too large to come to any real convergence. Finally, various other methods to reach (further) convergence of private law in Europe will be considered. Should the European Union continue with the present harmonisation process by issuing European directives or should other methods (also) be used to reach more convergence of law? For instance, such wide-ranging pleas have been made for promoting a European legal science and education and for convergence of law through competition of legal systems.

Keywords: Convergence; private law; ius commune; comparative law

JEL Classification: K10

Suggested Citation

Smits, Jan M., Convergence of Private Law in Europe: Towards a New Ius Commune?. COMPARATIVE LAW: A HANDBOOK, Esin Örücü & David Nelken, eds., pp. 219-240, 2007, Oxford: Hart Publishing, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1111593

Jan M. Smits (Contact Author)

Maastricht University Faculty of Law ( email )

P.O. Box 616
Maastricht, NL-6200 MD
Netherlands

HOME PAGE: http://www.jansmits.eu

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