First Protocol on the interpretation of the 1980 Convention by the Court of Justice (consolidated version)

PRELIMINARY NOTE

The signing on 29 November 1996 of the Convention on the accession of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden to the Rome Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations and to the two Protocols on its interpretation by the Court of Justice has made it desirable to produce a consolidated version of the Rome convention and of those two Protocols.

These texts are accompanied by three Declarations, one made in 1980 with regard to the need for consistency between measures to be adopted on choice-of-law rules by the Community and those under the Convention, a second, also made in 1980, on the interpretation of the Convention by the Court of Justice and a third, made in 1996, concerning compliance with the procedure provided for in Article 23 of the Rome Convention as regards carriage of goods by sea.

The text printed in this edition was drawn up by the General Secretariat of the Council, in whose archives the originals of the instruments concerned are deposited. It should be noted, however, that this text has no binding force. The official texts of the instruments consolidated are to be found in the following Official Journals.

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ANNEX

FIRST PROTOCOL (1) on the interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Communities of the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980

THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY,

HAVING REGARD to the Joint Declaration annexed to the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980,

HAVE DECIDED to conclude a Protocol conferring jurisdiction on the Court of Justice of the European Communities to interpret that Convention, and to this end have designated as their Plenipotentiaries:

[Plenipotentiaries designated by the Member States]

WHO, meeting within the Council of the European Communities, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Court of Justice of the European Communities shall have jurisdiction to give rulings on the interpretation of:

(a) the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980, hereinafter referred to as 'the Rome Convention`;

(b) the Convention on accession to the Rome Convention by the States which have become Members of the European Communities since the date on which it was opened for signature;

(c) this Protocol.

Article 2

Any of the courts referred to below may request the Court of Justice to give a preliminary ruling on a question raised in a case pending before it and concerning interpretation of the provisions contained in the instruments referred to in Article 1 if that court considers that a decision on the question is necessary to enable it to give judgment:

(a) - in Belgium:

'la Cour de cassation` ('het Hof van Cassatie`) and 'le Conseil d'État` ('de Raad van State`),

- in Denmark:

'Højesteret`,

- in the Federal Republic of Germany:

'die obersten Gerichtshöfe des Bundes`,

- in Greece:

'Ôá áíþôáôá ÄéêáóôÞñéá`,

- in Spain:

'el Tribunal Supremo`,

- in France:

'la Cour de cassation` and 'le Conseil d'État`,

- in Ireland:

the Supreme Court,

- in Italy:

'la Corte suprema di cassazione` and 'il Consiglio di Stato`,

- in Luxembourg:

'la Cour Supérieure de Justice`, when sitting as 'Cour de cassation`,

- in Austria:

the 'Oberste Gerichtshof`, the 'Verwaltungsgerichtshof` and the 'Verfassungsgerichtshof`,

- in the Netherlands:

'de Hoge Raad`,

- in Portugal:

'o Supremo Tribunal de Justiça` and 'o Supremo Tribunal Administrativo`,

- in Finland:

'korkein oikeus/högsta domstolen`, 'korkein hallinto-oikeus/högsta förvaltningsdomstolen`, 'markkinatuomioistuin/marknadsdomstolen` and 'työtuomioistuin/arbetsdomstolen`,

- in Sweden:

'Högsta domstolen`, 'Regeringsrätten`, 'Arbetsdomstolen` and 'Marknadsdomstolen`,

- in the United Kingdom:

the House of Lords and other courts from which no further appeal is possible;

(b) the courts of the Contracting States when acting as appeal courts.

Article 3

1. The competent authority of a Contracting State may request the Court of Justice to give a ruling on a question of interpretation of the provisions contained in the instruments referred to in Article 1 if judgments given by courts of that State conflict with the interpretation given either by the Court of Justice or in a judgment of one of the courts of another Contracting State referred to in Article 2. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply only to judgments which have become res judicata.

2. The interpretation given by the Court of Justice in response to such a request shall not affect the judgments which gave rise to the request for interpretation.

3. The Procurators-General of the Supreme Courts of Appeal of the Contracting States, or any other authority designated by a Contracting State, shall be entitled to request the Court of Justice for a ruling on interpretation in accordance with paragraph 1.

4. The Registrar of the Court of Justice shall give notice of the request to the Contracting States, to the Commission and to the Council of the European Communities; they shall then be entitled within two months of the notification to submit statements of case or written observations to the Court.

5. No fees shall be levied or any costs or expenses awarded in respect of the proceedings provided for in this Article.

Article 4

1. Except where this Protocol otherwise provides, the provisions of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community and those of the Protocol on the Statute of the Court of Justice annexed thereto, which are applicable when the Court is requested to give a preliminary ruling, shall also apply to any proceedings for the interpretation of the instruments referred to in Article 1.

2. The Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice shall, if necessary, be adjusted and supplemented in accordance with Article 188 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community.

Article 5 (2)

This Protocol shall be subject to ratification by the Signatory States. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities.

Article 6 (3)

1. To enter into force, this Protocol must be ratified by seven States in respect of which the Rome Convention is in force. This Protocol shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following the deposit of the instrument of ratification by the last such State to take this step. If, however, the Second Protocol conferring on the Court of Justice of the European Communities certain powers to interpret the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980, concluded in Brussels on 19 December 1988 (4) enters into force on a later date, this Protocol shall enter into force on the date of entry into force of the Second Protocol.

2. Any ratification subsequent to the entry into force of this Protocol shall take effect on the first day of the third month following the deposit of the instrument of ratification, provided that the ratification, acceptance or approval of the Rome Convention by the State in question has become effective.

Article 7 (5)

The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall notify the Signatory States of:

(a) the deposit of each instrument of ratification;

(b) the date of entry into force of this Protocol;

(c) any designation communicated pursuant to Article 3 (3);

(d) any communication made pursuant to Article 8.

Article 8

The Contracting States shall communicate to the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities the texts of any provisions of their laws which necessitate an amendment to the list of courts in Article 2 (a).

Article 9

This Protocol shall have effect for as long as the Rome Convention remains in force under the conditions laid down in Article 30 of that Convention.

Article 10

Any Contracting State may request the revision of this Protocol. In this event, a revision conference shall be convened by the President of the Council of the European Communities.

Article 11 (6)

This Protocol, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish languages, all 10 texts being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Communities. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to the Government of each Signatory State.

In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their signatures below this Protocol.

Done at Brussels on the nineteenth day of December in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight.

[Signatures of the Plenipotentiaries]

JOINT DECLARATIONS

Joint Declaration

The Governments of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Portuguese Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,

On signing the First Protocol on the interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Communities of the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980,

Desiring to ensure that the Convention is applied as effectively and as uniformly as possible,

Declare themselves ready to organize, in cooperation with the Court of Justice of the European Communities, an exchange of information on judgments which have become res judicata and have been handed down pursuant to the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations by the courts referred to in Article 2 of the said Protocol. The exchange of information will comprise:

- the forwarding to the Court of Justice by the competent national authorities of judgments handed down by the courts referred to in Article 2 (a) and significant judgments handed down by the courts referred to in Article 2 (b),

- the classification and the documentary exploitation of these judgments by the Court of Justice including, as far as necessary, the drawing up of abstracts and translations, and the publication of judgments of particular importance,

- the communication by the Court of Justice of the documentary material to the competent national authorities of the States parties to the Protocol and to the Commission and the Council of the European Communities.

In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their signature below this Joint Declaration.

Done at Brussels on the nineteenth day of December in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight.

[Signatures of the Plenipotentiaries]

Joint Declaration

The Governments of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Republic, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Portuguese Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,

On signing the First Protocol on the interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Communities of the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations, opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980,

Having regard to the Joint Declaration annexed to the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations,

Desiring to ensure that the Convention is applied as effectively and as uniformly as possible,

Anxious to prevent differences of interpretation of the Convention from impairing its unifying effect,

Express the view that any State which becomes a member of the European Communities should accede to this Protocol.

In witness whereof, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have affixed their signatures below this Joint Declaration.

Done at Brussels on the nineteenth day of December in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight.

[Signatures of the Plenipotentiaries]

(1) Text as amended by the 1996 Accession Convention.

(2) Ratification of the Accession Conventions is governed by the following provisions of those conventions:

- as regards the 1984 Accession Convention, by Article 3 of that Convention, which reads as follows:

'Article 3

This Convention shall be ratified by the signatory States. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities.`,

- as regards the 1992 Accession Convention, by Article 4 of that Convention, which reads as follows:

'Article 4

This Convention shall be ratified by the signatory States. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities.`,

- as regards the 1996 Accession Convention, by Article 5 of that Convention, which reads as follows:

'Article 5

This Convention shall be ratified by the signatory States. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union.`.

(3) The entry into force of the Accession Conventions is governed by the following provisions of those Conventions:

- as regards the 1984 Accession Convention, by Article 4 of that Convention, which reads as follows:

'Article 4

This Convention shall enter into force, as between the States which have ratified it, on the first day of the third month following the deposit of the last instrument of ratification by the Hellenic Republic and seven States which have ratified the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations.

This Convention shall enter into force for each Contracting State which subsequently ratifies it on the first day of the third month following the deposit of its instrument of ratification.`,

- as regards the 1992 Accession Convention, by Article 5 of that Convention which reads as follows:

'Article 5

This Convention shall enter into force, as between the States which have ratified it, on the first day of the third month following the deposit of the last instrument of ratification by the Kingdom of Spain or the Portuguese Republic and by one State which has ratified the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations.

This Convention shall enter into force for each Contracting State which subsequently ratifies it on the first day of the third month following the deposit of its instrument of ratification.`,

- as regards the 1996 Accession Convention, by Article 6 of that Convention, which reads as follows:

'Article 6

1. This Convention shall enter into force, as between the States which have ratified it, on the first day of the third month following the deposit of the last instrument of ratification by the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland or the Kingdom of Sweden and by one Contracting State which has ratified the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations.

2. This Convention shall enter into force for each Contracting State which subsequently ratifies it on the first day of the third month following the deposit of its instrument of ratification.`.

(4) Text is amended by the 1996 Accession Convention.

(5) Notification concerning the Accession Convention is governed by the following provisions of those Conventions:

- as regards the 1984 Accession Convention, by Article 5 of that Convention, which reads as follows:

'Article 5

The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall notify Signatory States of:

(a) the deposit of each instrument of ratification;

(b) the dates of entry into force of this Convention for the Contracting States.`,

- as regards the 1992 Accession Convention, by Article 6 of that Convention, which reads as follows:

'Article 6

The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall notify the signatory States of:

(a) the deposit of each instrument of ratification;

(b) the dates of entry into force of this Convention for the Contracting States.`,

- as regards the 1996 Accession Convention, by Article 7 of that Convention, which reads as follows:

'Article 7

The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union shall notify the signatory States of:

(a) the deposit of each instrument of ratification;

(b) the dates of entry into force of this Convention for the Contracting States.`.

(6) An indication of the authentic texts of the Accession Convention is to be found in the following provisions:

- as regards the 1984 Accession Convention, in Articles 2 and 6 of that Convention, which reads as follows:

'Article 2

The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall transmit a certified copy of the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Irish and Italian languages to the Government of the Hellenic Republic.

The text of the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations in the Greek language is annexed hereto. The text in the Greek language shall be authentic under the same conditions as the other texts of the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations.`

'Article 6

This Convention, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Irish and Italian languages, all eight texts being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Communities. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to the Government of each Signatory State.`,

- as regards the 1992 Accession Convention, in Articles 3 and 7 of that Convention, which read as follows:

'Article 3

The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall transmit a certified copy of the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Irish and Italian languages to the Governments of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic.

The text of the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations in the Portuguese and Spanish languages is set out in Annexes I and II to this Convention. The texts drawn up in the Portuguese and Spanish languages shall be authentic under the same conditions as the other texts of the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations.`

'Article 7

This Convention, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish languages, all texts being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Communities. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to the Government of each Signatory State.`,

- as regards the 1996 Accession Convention, in Articles 4 and 8 of that Convention, which read as follows:

'Article 4

1. The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union shall transmit a certified copy of the Convention of 1980, the Convention of 1984, the First Protocol of 1988, the Second Protocol of 1988 and the Convention of 1992 in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese languages to the Governments of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden.

2. The text of the Convention of 1980, the Convention of 1984, the First Protocol of 1988, the Second Protocol of 1988 and the Convention of 1992 in the Finnish and Swedish languages shall be authentic under the same conditions as the other texts of the Convention of 1980, the Convention of 1984, the First Protocol of 1988, the Second Protocol of 1988 and the Convention of 1992.`

'Article 8

This Convention, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages, all 12 texts being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to the Government of each signatory State.`