European Private International Law

Geert van Calster is Professor Ordinarius and Head of the Department of International and European Law at KU Leuven.

Summary of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. The Concept, Nature and Development of Private International Law
1.2. Sources of Private International Law
1.3. The Three Processes of Private International Law, and Standard ‘Connecting Factors’
1.4. Characterisation, Renvoi and the ‘Incidental’ Issue or Vorfrage
1.5. Forum Shopping and Forum non Conveniens
1.6. The Impact of European Law on the Private International Law of the Member States
1.7. Brexit
2. The Core of European Private International Law: Jurisdiction
2.1. Summary
2.2. Detailed Review of the Regulation
3. The Core of European Private International Law: Applicable Law – Contracts
3.1. Summary
3.2. Detailed Review of the Regulation
4. The Core of European Private International Law: Applicable Law – Tort
4.1. Introduction
4.2. General Principles
4.3. Scope of Application
4.4. Applicable Law – General Rule: Lex Loci Damni
4.5. One General Exception to the General Rule and One Escape Clause
4.6. Specific Choice of Law Rules for Specific Torts – No Specific Rules for ‘Protected Categories’
4.7. Freedom to Choose Applicable Law
4.8. Scope of the Law Applicable
4.9. Contract-Related Tort Claims
4.10. ‘Overriding’ Mandatory Law and Public Order
5. The Insolvency Regulation
5.1. The Overall Nature of and Core Approaches to Insolvency and Private International Law
5.2. Genesis of the Insolvency Regulation
5.3. General Context of the 2015 Amendments
5.4. Scope of Application, Dovetailing with the Brussels I Recast and Overall Aim
5.5. The International Impact of the Regulation
5.6. The Jurisdictional Model: Universal Jurisdiction Based on COMI, alongside Limited Territorial Procedures
5.7. Applicable Law
5.8. Recognition and Enforcement of Insolvency Proceedings
5.9. Powers of the Liquidator/Insolvency Practitioner
6. Free Movement of Establishment, Lex Societatis and Private International Law
6.1. Daily Mail
6.2. Centros
6.3. Uberseering
6.4. Inspire Art
6.5. Cartesio – And its Mirror Image: Vale
6.6. Grid Indus
6.7. Directive 2019/2121: The Cross-Border Conversion Directive
7. Private International Law, Corporate Social Responsibility and Extraterritoriality
7.1. The Role of Private International Law in Operationalising Corporate Social Responsibility
7.2. The United States: Litigation Based on the ATS
7.3. The European Union
7.4. Duty of Care, Attribution and Compliance Strategies
7.5. Conclusion