ROME I & ROME II Conference

The conference website informs: This conference to be held in Lisbon, 12-13 November 2007, is organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the EU, in conjunction with the preceding German and the subsequent Slovenian Presidencies, and ERA. The conference will provide participants with an in-depth analysis of the future Rome I Regulation and the Rome II Regulation. The objective of the seminar is to promote a far-reaching and thorough debate concerning the most important or complex issues inherent to the regulations regarding law applicable to contractual and non-contractual obligations.

Concerning Rome I, the seminar will highlight in particular: (a) scope of application, (b) choice of law and applicable law in the absence of choice, (c) consumer contracts, (d) employment contracts, and (e) assignment. In case the legislation process in view of the Rome I Regulation will not be completed by 2007, the following Slovenian Presidency will be able to use the conclusions of this conference in the further adoption procedure.

Furthermore, the Rome II Regulation (OJ L 199/40 of 31 July 2007) will be presented. It shall apply from 11 January 2009. The discussion will concentrate on the following topics: (a) general rules, (b) product liability, (c) the violation of the environment, (d) unfair competition, and (e) infringement of intellectual property rights.

The seminar will provide a forum for debate between legal practitioners, namely judges and lawyers, experts in member states’ ministries and EU legislators on the practical implementation of these two instruments of European private international law.

The conference programme can be downloaded from the conference website.