Towards a European Contract Law

Abstract

This paper is about the development of a European contract law. In the past decades, EC directives have led to the intro duction of some unified, or at least harmonised, contract law at a European level. A directive on unfair contract terms, which goes to the heart of contract law, has been transposed in most Member States. A directive on distance selling is now in the course of being implemented. And a draft directive on consumer goods and associated warranties is at present in the course of being adopted by the European Council of Ministers. These are but three of the best known objects of EU initiatives in the area of contract law. In the related area of tort, a directive on product liability has now been implemented in all Member States, as well as in some other states. A list of relevant directives is reproduced in the second edition of the book 'Towards a European Civil Code'