December 2013 Issue of the Revista Electrónica de Estudios Internacionales (REEI, Spain)

The latest issue of the REEI has been recently released. These are the contents related to Private International Law (free access, in Spanish):

M.D. Ortiz Vidal: Distribución y venta en España de productos fabricados en el extranjero. Cuestiones de Derecho Internacional Privado

Abstract: The distribution and sale, of a product manufactured in a third country, in the European single market, requires the adjustment of the product to the rules of public law and private law. From the point of view of public law, the Conformité Européenne operates as a necessary element in order to market for certain products in the EU single market. From an international private law perspective, European standards applicable to the legal position of the purchaser of a product – manufactured in a Member State of the EU or in a third country – which is distributed and commercialized in the EU single market, will provide a different legal treatment depending on whether the consumer is “active” or “passive”.

E. Fernández Massiá: Arbitraje inversor-estado: De “bella durmiente” a “león en la jungla”

Abstract: The growing number of cases highlights benefits and deficiencies of international investment arbitration. Most countries consider the investor-state dispute settlement system a key element of international investment protection, but are reforming selected aspects of the same. In this sense, the new international Agreements introduce procedural innovations and changes in the wording of the substantive provisions looking forward a balanced approach that recognizes the legitimate interests of both host countries and foreign investors. But other governments have taken more radical steps. For example, Latin American countries have proposed the creation of a new investment arbitration center alternatively to ICSID. Australia intends no longer to include dispute resolution clauses allowing investor-state arbitration in future treaties, while South Africa and India are reviewing their external policy about foreign direct investment.

L. Dávalos León: El contrato internacional en la nueva Ley cubana de Contratación Económica

Abstract: The enactment of the new regulation on economic contracts in Cuba at the end of 2012 has brought about significant changes to contract law in this country. Although this regulation encompasses principles and international contracting rules based on the UNIDROIT Principles, it also gives rise to problems in relation to the “commercial” and “international” nature of contracts. The difference between commercial contracts and economic contracts is confusing because the provisions governing the former in the Commercial Code have been derogated and there are no other regulations substantively regulating these types of contracts. The new regulation also states that international contracts fall outside its scope of application but, at the same time, includes within its scope contracts executed with foreign natural or legal persons. Therefore, the presence of foreign elements does not suffice for a contract to be considered “international”, but other objective links of greater significance are required. All this raises a question: Which rules currently apply to international commercial contracts when the parties, by virtue of the principle of autonomy, choose Cuban law as the governing law? This work analyses certain aspects of the new regulation and its contradictions in order to expose them and to open discussion to find solutions or alternatives.

Chronicles on events and facts concerning Private International Law, International Civil Procedural Law and Public International Law are also provided.