Conference on Party Autonomy in Property Law

On 27 and 28 May 2010 a conference on Party Autonomy in Property Law, organized by Erasmus School of Law and Leiden University, will be held at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

In international trade practice, the question often arises as to whether party autonomy or, more specifically, a choice of law possibility in matters of Property Law should be recommended or required. For example, can a French seller and a German buyer in a purchase agreement concerning movable or immovable assets agree that Dutch Law will be applicable in matters of ownership regarding these assets? Is party autonomy allowed or should it be allowed in other areas of Property Law, such as assignment of claims (receivables)?

This important question is not only answered differently in disparate legal systems but underneath it lie several and often conflicting legal interests. An example is the principle that legal acts in Property Law have not only an effect between the contracting parties but also against a third party.

During the Conference, these diverse aspects of ‘Party Autonomy in Property Law’ will be discussed by leading specialists in International Property Law. There are four central themes:

1. General aspects of party autonomy, as seen from the perspective of Continental Law as well as of Common Law;

2. Private International (Property) Law;

3. Developments and prospects in Europe and in European Law Projects (e.g. European conflict rules for property law?);

4. Assignment in Private International Law, Financial Instruments/the Collateral Directive; Insolvency Law.

For more information on the program, speakers and to register, please click here.