Mandate Contracts

The research of the Study Group on a European Civil Code seeks to advance the process of Europeanisation of private law by drafting a set of common European principles which are relevant for the functioning of the common market. The principles provide national jurisdictions with a grid reference for the future development of the law.

In the context of the harmonisation of European contract law this is a hot topic: The new volume of the Principles of European Law deals with mandate contracts, i.e. contracts whereby an agent concludes a contract with a third party for the benefit of a principal. The Principles of European Law on Mandate Contracts do not only mirror the provisions on these contracts in the Draft Common Frame of Reference (DCFR), but also contain a more comprehensive explanation of these provisions. Moreover, they provide details on the functioning of mandate contracts in the laws of the Member States. Thus, the principles are conducive to advance the process of Europeanisation of private law.

This volume presents national reports describing the legal instruments that are available to prevent the payment of bribes for acquiring contracts. Anti-corruption is one of the preeminent issues in the modern global commercial order and is tackled with the help of criminal law and contract law in different ways in different countries. The reports included in this volume, from very diverse parts of the world, represent a unique and rich compilation of court decisions, doctrinal discussions and a pool of suggested solutions. The central theme is the enforceability of three problematic types of contracts: the bribe agreement, whereby a bribe payer promises the agent of his business partner a personal benefit in exchange for favourable contract terms; the agreement between a bribe payer and an intermediary (a “bribe merchant”), where the latter offers his expertise to help funnel bribes to agents of the business partner; and finally, the contract between the bribe payer and his business partner which was obtained by means of bribery. The analysis is tailored toward commercial contracts, which can also include contracts with state-owned enterprises. The examination and comparison of international and national initiatives included in this volume advance the discussion on the most appropriate remedies in corruption cases, and show how to get past the boundaries of criminal, private and contract law.

A Casebook on the Roman Law of Contracts introduces students to the rich and influential body of Roman law concerning contracts between private individuals.