Nehne on Methodology and Principles of European Private International Law

Timo Nehne, University of Cologne, has written a new book on methodology and general principles of European Private International Law (Methodik und allgemeine Lehren des europäischen Internationalen Privatrechts. Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck 2012).  The author has kindly provided us with the following summary:

The Private International Law regulations adopted by the European Union so far stipulate issues of methodology and “general principles” in fragments only. The dissertation “Methodik und allgemeine Lehren des europäischen Internationalen Privatrechts” (Methodology and General Principles of European Private International Law) focuses on their examination. The book encompasses six chapters. In chapter 1, the conceptual and methodological basis for the work is established. After the definition of the term “European Private International Law” and a short description of its history (§ 1), the introduction of a uniform terminology for this field of law is discussed (§ 2). Afterwards, dogmatic fundamental questions for the construction of European Union Private International Law (EU PIL) and for filling its gaps are scrutinised (§ 3). On that basis, methodic proposals of how to interpret EU PIL (§ 4) and how to close existing gaps (§ 5) are developed. Beside the creation of homogeneous Latin technical terms, both of these techniques are applied in chapters 2 to 5 to work out further methods for the handling of European conflict of laws and to fathom its principles. In doing so, the dissertation follows the path of application of EU PIL regulations. Thus, chapter 2 deals with the scope of European Private International Law (§ 1) and its relationship with national law, EU law as well as international conventions (§ 2). Subsequently, subjects concerning the legal category of a European choice of law rule are investigated (chapter 3) namely characterization (§ 1) and the solving of preliminary questions (§ 2). After having identified the applicable legal category, a European legal practitioner will be faced with a specific connecting factor. What kind of connecting factors EU PIL provides, is depicted in chapter 4. After an introducing summary (§ 1) it broaches the issues of party autonomy (§ 2) and “objective” connecting factors (§ 3). In any case, the connecting factor of a EU choice of law rule leads to the legal system governing the case at hand. In this respect, European conflict of laws follows the principle of exclusion of renvoi (chapter 5 § 1) which gives rise to the question whether it allows exceptions (§ 2). A further problem consists in the handling of the applicable law of states with more than one legal system (§ 3). Finally, chapter 6 compiles the results of the preceding chapters (§ 1) and closes with a suggestion which rules a Rome 0 Regulation or a EU PIL code should comprehend at least (§ 2).

Further information is availbale on the publisher’s website.