Instrumentalisation of private international law in the European union: Towards a European conflicts revolution?

European Journal of Migration and Law

Volumn 9, Issue 3, 2007, Pages 287-305

  Meeusen, Johan ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP   (Belgium)

Author keywords

EU law; Fundamental rights; Mutual recognition; Non discrimination; Private international law

Indexed keywords

EID: 34548587716     PISSN: 1388364X     EISSN: 15718166     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1163/138836407X225687     Document Type: Review

References (67)

1. E.C.J., 9 November 2000, case C-381/98, Ingmar, E.C.R., 2000, I-9305.
2. E.C.J., 6 October 1976, case 12/76, Tessili, E.C.R., 1976, 1473, §9.
3. See later also E.C.J., 10 February 1994, case C-368/92, Mund & Fester, E.C.R., 1994, I-467, §11.
4. See also §2 of the Commission communication to the Council and the European Parliament 'towards greater efficiency in obtaining and enforcing judgments in the European Union', O.J., 31 January 1998, C 33, 3.
5. Cf. J. Meeusen, "Fifteen Theses on Brussels I, Rome I and the European Union's Institutional Frame-work" in J. Meeusen, M. Pertegás and G. Straetmans (eds.), Enforcement of International Contracts in the European Union. Convergence and divergence between Brussels I and Rome I, Antwerp: Intersentia 2004, p. 43 ff.
6. Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, repealing Regulation (EC) No 1347/2000, O.J., 23 December 2003, L 338, 1. Since the 1st of March 2005, this regulation (Brussels II bis) replaces the former Brussels II regulation (No 1347/2000).
7. Council directive 2002/8/EC of 27 January 2003 to improve access to justice in cross-border disputes by establishing minimum common rules relating to legal aid for such disputes, O.J., 31 January 2003, L 26, 41;
8. Council regulation (EC) No 1206/2001 of 28 May 2001 on cooperation between the courts of the Member States in the taking of evidence in civil or commercial matters, O.J., 27 June 2001, L 174, 1;
9. Council regulation (EC) No 1348/2000 of 29 May 2000 on the service in the Member States of judicial and extrajudicial documents in civil or commercial matters, O.J., 30 June 2000, L 160, 37.
10. Together with art. 66, art. 61c EC also constituted the legal basis for the Council decision of 28 May 2001 establishing a European judicial Network in civil and commercial matters, O.J., 27 June 2001, L 174, 25.
11. Regulation (EC) No 805/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 creating a European Enforcement Order for uncontested claims, O.J., 30 April 2004, L 143, 15.
12. Regulation (EC) No 1896/2006 creating a European order for payment procedure, O.J., 30 December 2006, L 399, 1.
13. Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001 of 22 December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, O.J., 16 January 2001, L 12, 1;
14. Council regulation (EC) No 1346/2000 of 29 May 2000 on insolvency proceedings, O.J., 30 June 2000, L 160, 1.
15. COM(2005) 649 final.
16. COM(2005) 650 final.
17. COM(2006) 83 final.
18. COM(2006) 399 final.
19. Com(2005) 65 final.
20. COM(2006) 400 final.
21. The U.K. and Ireland have until now systematically adhered to the Community measures on private international law; Denmark on the other hand has remained absent from all Community initiatives based on article 61c. See with regard, to the position of Denmark also SEC(2002) 483.
22. For futher details, analysis and some proposals, see J. Meeusen, "'What has it got to do necessarily with the European Union?' Family law and European 'economic' integration", to be published In Year-book of European Law, Cambridge (CELS).
23. J. Meeusen, 'De Europeanisering van het internationaal privaatrecht. Kanttekeningen bij recente institutioneelrechtelijke ontwikkelingen en bij de impact van het communautair verbod van nationaliteitsdiscriminatie', In: J. Meeusen, M-C. Foblets and B. Hubeau (eds.), Migratie- en migrantenrecht. Recente ontwikkelingen - deel 10, Bruges: die Keure 2004, p. 268 ff.;
24. M. Wilderspin and X. Lewis, 'Les relations entre le droit communautaire et les règles de conflits de lois des Etats membres', R.C.D.I.P. 2002, p. 7.
25. E.C.J., 1 July 1993, case C-20/92, Hubbard, E.C.R., 1993, I-3777;
26. E.C.J., 26 September 1996, case C-43/95, Data Delecta, E.C.R., 1996, I-4661;
27. E.C.J., 20 Mardi 1997, case C-323/95, Hayes, E.C.R., 1997, I-1711;
28. E.C.J., 2 October 1997, case C-122/96, Saldanha, E.C.R., 1997, I-5325.
29. E.g. E.C.J., 10 February 1994, case C-398/92, Mund & Fester, E.C.R., 1994, I-467.
30. E.C.J., 2 October 2003, case C-148/02, Garcia Avello, E.C.R., 2003, I-11613, §31.
31. M. Fallon, 'Les conflits de lois et de juridictions dans un espace économique intégré. L'expérience de la Communauté européenne', Collected Courses of The Hague Academy of International Law, No 253, 1995, p. 127.
32. Some inspiration in this regard can be found in the case law of the E.C.J. relating to tax matters, which, as far as direct taxes are concerned, holds that the different treatment of residents and non-residents mostly doesn't amount to overt nor covert discrimination as their respective situations are, as a rule, not comparable (see e.g. E.C.J., 14 February 1995, case C-279/93, Schumacker, E.C.R., 1995, I-225, §26-35).
33. M. Fallon, 'Variations sur le principe d'origine, entre droit communautaire et droit international privé', in: Nouveaux itinéraires en droit. Hommage àFrançois Rigaux, Brussels: Bruylant 1993, p. 217.
34. See e.g. E.C.J., 20 June 1996, joined cases C-418/93 e.a., Semeraro Casa Uno, E.C.R., 1996, I-2975, §25 (openness for choices relating to particular national or regional socio-cultural characteristics);
35. E.C.J., 16 October 1980, case 147/79, Hochstrass, E.C.R., 1980, 300, 5, §12-14 (linking nationality to civic, family, educational, cultural and political aspects of life).
36. M. Fallon, l.c., Collected Courses of The Hague Academy ofInternational Law, No 253, 1995, p. 128.
37. M. Fallon, 'Libertés communautaires et règles de conflit de lois', in: A. Fuchs, H. Muir Watt and E. Pataut (dir.), Les conflits de lois et le système juridique communautaire, Paris: Dalloz 2004, p. 59.
38. E.C.J., 2 October 2003, case C-148/02, Garcia Avello, E.C.R., 2003, I-1613.
39. E.C.J., 27 April 2006, Case C-96/04, Standesamt Stadt Niebüll ("Grunkin-Paul"), E.C.R., 2006, I-3561;
40. the Court declared itself to have no jurisdiction to answer the question referred to it; Advocate General Jacobs delivered his opinion on 30 June 2005. The case is now pending again before the Court (case C-353/06).
41. Case C-168/91, E.C.R., 1993, I-1191.
42. E.C.H.R., 24 January 1994, Burghartz/Switzerland, No A280-B, §24;
43. E.C.H.R., 24 October 1994, Stjerna/Finland, A299-B, §37.
44. Verwaltungsgericht Karlsruhe, 9 September 2004. The case has been described by R. Koolhoven, 'Het Nederlands opengestelde huwelijk in het Duitse IPR. De eerste rechterlijke uitspraak is daar!', NIPR, 2005, 138.
45. Cf. J. Meeusen, 'System shopping In European private international law in family matters', in: J. Meeusen, M. Pertegás, G. Straetmans and F. Swennen (eds.), International Family Law for the European Union, Antwerp: Interserida 2007, p. 266 ff.
46. E.C.J., 20 February 1979, case 120/78, Rewe-Zentral, E.C.R., 1979, 649, §15.
47. See e.g. E.C.J., 30 November 1995, case C-55/94, Gebhard, E.C.R., 1995, I-4165, §37-38.
48. E.C.J., 11 February 2003, joined cases C-187/01 and C-385/01, Criminal proceedings against Gözütok and Brügge, E.C.R., 2003, I-1345, §33.
49. E.C.J., 7 July 1992, case C-369/90, Micheletti, E.C.R., 1992, I-4239.
50. Cf. J. Meeusen, 'De werkelijke zetel-leer en de communautaire vestigingsvrijheid van vennootscliappen - Analyse van het arrest Überseering van het Hof van justitie', T.R.V., 2003, p. 95-127.
51. Action Plan of the Council and the Commission on how best to implement the provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam on an area of freedom, security and justice, O.J., 23 January 1999, C 19, 1.
52. O.J., 15 January 2001, C 12, 1.
53. E. Jayme and C. Kohler, 'Europäisches Kollisionsrecht 2001: Anerkennungsprinzip statt IPR?', IPRax, 2001, p. 501;
54. H.U. Jessurun d'Oliveira, l.c., p. 130-131;
55. C. Kohler, 'Systemwechsel im europäischen Anerkennungsrecht: Von der EuGVVO zur Abschaffung des Exequaturs', in: Systemwechsel im europäischen Kollisionsrecht, München: C.H. Beck 2002, p. 158.
56. E.C.J., 11 May 2000, case C-38/98, Renault, E.C.R., 2000, I-2973, §30;
57. E.C.J., 28 March 2000, case C-7/98, Krombach, E.C.R., 2000, I-1935, §37.
58. Brussels IIbis deals both with parental responsibility and matrimonial matters (divorce, legal separation and marriage annulment). As the former is governed by the concept of the best interests of the child, which leads to specific results, I will deal here especially with the latter aspects, the matrimonial issues.
59. J. Meeusen, "System shopping in European private international law in family matters", l.c., p. 239 ff.
60. See also H.U. Jessurun d'Oliveira, "The EU and a Metamorphosis of Private International Law', in: J. Fawcett (ed.), Reform and Development of Private International Law. Essays in honour of Sir Peter North, Oxford: Oxford University Press 2002, p. 132.
61. E.C.J., 11 July 2002, case C-224/98, D'Hoop, E.C.R., 2002, I-6191, §38;
62. E.C.J., 23 March 2004, case C-138/02, Collins, E.C.R., 2004, I-2703, §67.
63. E.C.J., 15 March 2005, case C-209/03, Bidar, E.C.R., 200, 5, I-2119, §57, 62 and dictum.
64. P. Lagarde, 'Développements futurs du droit international privé dans une Europe en voie d'unification: quelques conjectures', RabelsZ, 2004, p. 231-232.
65. C. Kohler, 'Status als Wahre', l.c., p. 52.
66. European Commission, Staff working paper, Annex to the Green Paper on applicable law and jurisdiction in divorce matters, no 3.1. (COM[2005] 82 final].
67. Cf. the Commission's Explanatory Memorandums to the Rome III-proposal (COM [2006] 399 final) and the Maintenance Proposal (COM[2005] 649 final).