Ruehl on Statut und Effizienz: Ökonomische Grundlagen des Internationalen Privatrechts

Giesela Ruehl (Friedrich-Schiller University Jena and our new editor for Germany) has published her Habilitationsschrift on Statut und Effizienz: Ökonomische Grundlagen des Internationalen Privatrechts [Applicable Law and Efficiency. Economic Foundations of Private International Law]. Here’s an English description (the monograph itself is in German):

Is private international law an efficient answer to the problems of international transactions? In her recent book on the economic foundations of private international law, Giesela Rühl explores this question in great detail.

She analyses choice of law-rules on a broad comparative basis and uses economic theory to tackle fundamental conceptual issues just as well as specific problems in the private international law of contracts and torts. Focusing on the recently adopted Rome I- and Rome II-Regulations she contributes to the understanding of the developing European private international law.

The book is organized in four parts. In the first part, the author analyses the problems of international transactions from an economic perspective. She takes a closer look at the specific problems associated with international transactions and asks whether private international law – as compared to other governmental, non-governmental, regulatory or non-regulatory mechanisms – is a suitable or at least necessary instrument to deal with these problems. In the second part, the author lays the theoretical foundation for an economic analysis of private international law. She explores whether economic theory may be used to analyse issues in private international law and whether the basic assumptions and assessment criteria of economic theory may claim application. In the third part, the author re-conceptualises private international law from an economic perspective. She develops a general economic framework for the determination of the applicable law essentially based on free choice of law. In the fourth and final part, the author applies this framework to specific issues in choice of law, most importantly contracts and torts.

ISBN 978-3-16-150698-7. Leinen € 99.00. More information is available on the publisher’s website.