European Contract Law (Third Edition)

338 Pages·2021·3.316 MB·English

by  Reiner Schulze, Fryderyk Zoll

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Schulze_3A_978-3-406-#####-#_#1.indd 1-5 04.09.2020 11:34:13
Schulze / Zoll
European Contract Law
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BUT_Schulze_Zoll_7764-8_3A.indd 1 BUT_Schulze_Zoll_7764-8_3A.indd 1 1188..0033..2211 0088::5577
European
Contract Law
by
Reiner Schulze
Fryderyk Zoll
prepared by
Jonathon Watson
Fully revised Third Edition
2021
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Published by
Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Waldseestraße 3–5, 76530 Baden-Baden, Germany,
email: [email protected]
Co-published by
Verlag C.H.Beck oHG, Wilhelmstraße 9, 80801 München, Germany,
email: [email protected]
and
Hart Publishing, Kemp House, Chawley Park, Cumnor Hill, Oxford, OX2 9PH, United Kingdom,
online at: www.hartpub.co.uk
Published in North America by Hart Publishing,
An Imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing 1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018, USA
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vrese ISBN 978 3 8487 7764 8 (NOMOS Print)
r sth ISBN 978 3 7489 2573 6 (NOMOS ePDF)
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ir llA ISBN 978 3 406 76967 2 (C.H.BECK)
.tfah ISBN 978 1 5099 4180 3 (HART)
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alre © Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Baden-Baden 2021. Printed in Germany.
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20 broadcasting, reproduction by photocopying machine or similar means, and storage in data
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thg use a fee is payable to »Verwertungsgesellschaft Wort«, Munich, Germany.
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Foreword
Many fields of European contract law have changed considerably in recent years and
indeed since the second edition of this book. The legislative responses to digitalization
have resulted in several directives and regulations, changing the shape of the acquis com-
munautaire: Digital Content Directive, Sale of Goods Directive, Modernization Direc-
tive, Platform Regulation, Portability Regulation, and the Geo-blocking Regulation.
European contract law thus not only covers new topics but is also influenced by new
concepts and principles (such as the role of data in contracting, the features of digital
content, control of contract terms in B–B contracts). European case law surrounding
contract law has also experienced considerable developments (especially in the field of
unfair contract terms).
A new edition of ‘European Contract Law’ is therefore necessary due to the demand
for structured insights into the extensive contract law acquis as well as the rapid and
broad development of European contract law itself. Accordingly, it was necessary to re-
vise and update the second edition (2018) to accurately present the structure of modern
EU contract law, its law on unfair terms, performance obligations and the consequences
of breaches thereof.
In light of the changes to contract law from, above all, the new challenges presented
by digitization, this third edition strives to fulfil an aim already outlined in the foreword
to the first edition: to allow legal scholars and practitioners, as well as law students, to be
a part of the on-going development of European contract law as a core element of Euro-
pean private law. Accordingly, the following volume conveys fundamental information
on the content, methods and objectives of European legislation in this field and explains
the interaction between legislation, case law, and legal science in the origins and devel-
opment of European contract law. In particular, it attempts to outline the qualities of this
supranational law and its innovative features in comparison to traditional concepts in
contract law. In so doing it serves as a guide to unfamiliar territory and promote an un-
derstanding of the characteristics of a new legal development.
The new edition is once more the product of numerous discussions between the au-
thors. The chapters §§1; 3 II 1–6, III; 5; 6 I, IV, and 8 were written by Reiner Schulze,
§§2, 3 I, II 7, 4, 6 II, III, and 7 by Fryderyk Zoll. The chapters authored by Fryderyk Zoll
.d were part of the project ‘Made in Europe – European Legal Standards of Quality for Ser-
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vre vices on the Global Competitive Market’ and funded by the Narodowy Centrum Nauki
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r sthg (NaTthioen acol Sncteiennt caen Cde nsttrruec) tounre t haer eb absaiss eodf doenc itshioen t hNiord. DGEeCrm-2a0n1 2e/d0i4t/ioAn/H oSf 5‘/E0u0r7o0p9ä.isches
ir llA Vertragsrecht’ (Nomos 2021) and take into account developments prior to 1 December
.tfa 2020. The authors kindly thank Dr. Jonathon Watson, without whom this adapted Eng-
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cslle lish language version would not have been possible.
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lreV December 2020 Reiner Schulze/Fryderyk Zoll
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Contents
Foreword ............................................................................................ V
Abbreviations ........................................................................................ XI
Legislation and Other Sources ...................................................................... XV
List of Cases ......................................................................................... XXI
Chapter 1 Foundations ............................................................................ 1
I. Introduction .................................................................... 1
1. European contract law ..................................................... 1
2. Aim and structure of this book ............................................ 3
3. Sources and literature ...................................................... 3
II. Contract law as part of European private law .................................. 5
1. Concept .................................................................... 5
2. Dualism of national and supranational law ................................ 9
III. Contract law in the acquis communautaire .................................... 12
1. Types of rules .............................................................. 12
2. Primary law ................................................................ 12
3. Directives .................................................................. 13
4. Selected legislation and case law ........................................... 16
IV. Coherency of European contract law ........................................... 22
1. Academic approaches ...................................................... 22
2. Commission Action Plan and the Common Frame of Reference ......... 25
3. The CESL as a codification ................................................ 26
V. Focus on the Digital Single Market ............................................. 31
1. Overview ................................................................... 31
2. Legislation ................................................................. 31
3. Reshaping contract law .................................................... 35
Chapter 2 Core Elements .......................................................................... 39
I. Concept of contract ............................................................. 39
1. Contract and juridical act .................................................. 39
2. Contract as consensus ad idem? ........................................... 52
3. Contract and notice ........................................................ 58
II. Types of contract in the acquis communautaire ................................ 63
1. Specific circumstances ..................................................... 63
2. Increase in contract types in the acquis communautaire .................. 69
III. Mixed contracts ................................................................. 74
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evrese IV. 1F.reedOovmer ovife cwon .t.r.a.c.t. ......................................................................................................................... 8800
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.tfa 5. Non-discrimination ........................................................ 93
hcslle V. C6.onsPuamrteyr sst aatnuds o .t.h.e.r. .p.r.o..te.c..te..d. .p.a.r.t.i.e.s. ................................................................................. 110001
seg 1. Overview ................................................................... 101
sga 2. Notion of the consumer in the acquis communautaire .................... 102
lreV 3. Other protected parties .................................................... 106
som Chapter 3 Conclusion and Content of Contracts ................................................. 109
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N .12 I. P1.re-cOovnetrrvacietwua l. d..u.t.i.e.s. ..................................................................................................................... 110099
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th 3. Pre-contractual duties and good faith in the acquis communautaire ...... 117
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6. Liability under the Acquis Principles ...................................... 122
7. Information duties in the acquis communautaire ......................... 122
VII
Contents
8. Between pre-contractual information duties and fair trading ............. 124
9. Standardized performance ................................................. 124
10. Pre-contractual information duties in the CESL ........................... 125
11. Pre-contractual information duties in the Acquis Principles and DCFR .. 125
12. Consequences of breach ................................................... 126
II. Conclusion of contract ......................................................... 127
1. Overview ................................................................... 127
2. Agreement ................................................................. 131
3. Modes ...................................................................... 133
4. Pre-contractual public statements ......................................... 141
5. Unilateral promises ........................................................ 146
6. Inertia selling .............................................................. 147
7. Defects in Consent ......................................................... 150
III. Right of withdrawal ............................................................. 157
1. Overview ................................................................... 157
2. Functions .................................................................. 159
3. Features .................................................................... 162
4. Exercise .................................................................... 165
5. Effect ....................................................................... 168
Chapter 4 Unfair Contract Terms ................................................................. 173
I. Overview ....................................................................... 173
1. Unfair terms law as a core area of contract law ............................ 173
2. Unfair Terms Directive .................................................... 174
3. Unfair terms in the Acquis Principles and DCFR ......................... 177
4. Unfair terms in the CESL .................................................. 177
II. Comparative law foundations .................................................. 179
1. Development in German law .............................................. 179
2. Control of terms under the French system ................................ 181
3. English and Scandinavian systems ......................................... 181
III. Unfair Terms Directive as a compromise ....................................... 182
IV. General clause and the list of unfair terms ..................................... 182
V. Late Payment Directive ......................................................... 194
VI. Acquis Principles ............................................................... 195
VII. DCFR ........................................................................... 198
VIII. Reform .......................................................................... 200
IX. The exclusion of unfair terms from the Consumer Rights Directive ........... 201
X. CESL ............................................................................ 201
.de Chapter 5 Performance Obligations ............................................................... 205
vrese I. Introduction .................................................................... 205
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.tfa 4. Performance in long-term contracts ....................................... 209
hcslleseg II. 21P..erfoODrmevleiarvnveicreeyw .. ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 222111100
sga 3. Supply ...................................................................... 211
lreV 4. Forms of performance ..................................................... 213
so 5. Counter-performance ...................................................... 218
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.1 1. Basic features ............................................................... 221
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7. Third-party rights .......................................................... 229
8. Non-digital services ........................................................ 229
VIII
Contents
IV. Modification and termination .................................................. 230
1. Modification ............................................................... 230
2. Termination ................................................................ 231
Chapter 6 Breach and Remedies .................................................................. 235
I. Introduction .................................................................... 235
1. Innovative approaches in the acquis communautaire ..................... 235
2. Approaches to the system .................................................. 237
II. Liability for non-performance .................................................. 240
1. Overview ................................................................... 240
2. Structure ................................................................... 241
3. Time ........................................................................ 247
4. Strict liability ............................................................... 249
5. Burden of proof ............................................................ 249
6. Statutory limitations and exclusion of liability ............................. 252
7. Contractual exclusion of liability .......................................... 254
III. Remedies ........................................................................ 256
1. Overview ................................................................... 256
2. Performance ............................................................... 257
3. Withholding performance ................................................. 267
4. Termination ................................................................ 268
5. Price reduction ............................................................. 274
6. Damages and interest ...................................................... 277
IV. Restitution ...................................................................... 286
1. Overview ................................................................... 286
2. Sale of Goods Directive .................................................... 286
3. Digital Content Directive .................................................. 287
4. DCFR and CESL ........................................................... 290
5. Redress ..................................................................... 292
Chapter 7 Preclusion and Prescription ............................................................ 295
I. Acquis communautaire ......................................................... 295
II. Proposal for comprehensive European rules ................................... 299
III. Conclusions ..................................................................... 302
Chapter 8 Outlook ................................................................................ 303
Index ................................................................................................. 307
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