Contents Speakers

Mr Giuseppe Abbamonte, DG Justice, Freedom The final version of the Draft Common Frame of Reference (DCFR) was published in October 2009. At and Security, European Commission, p resent, the European Commission is carrying out a Professor Christian von Bar, European Legal ERA selection process to determine which parts of the Studies Institute, University of Osnabrück Academy of European Law academic DCFR will be included in the final CFR.

As a follow-up to the ERA events organised in the Professor Hugh Beale, University of Warwick framework of the CoPECL Network, this conference Professor Eric Clive, University of Edinburgh will discuss content and perspectives of a future ‘political’ CFR. One of the main purposes of the CFR is to provide a set of principles, definitions and Professor Bénédicte Fauvarque-Cosson, model rules which could be used as a ‘toolbox’ for University Panthéon-Assas, Paris better European lawmaking. Mr Rafael Gil Nievas, Permanent Representation Substantive reforms in the consumer protection field of Spain to the EU, Brussels are currently on the agenda. The conference will ask EUROPEAN CONTRACT LAW whether and how the development of the CFR and Professor Piotr Machnikowski, University of the ongoing revision of EU consumer law (e.g. Wrocław  EU CONSUMER LAW Consumer Rights Directive, Package Travel Directive) REVISION AND THE CFR could be synchronised and connected. Dr Chantal Mak, University of Amsterdam  TOWARDS AN OPTIONAL

Furthermore, it will highlight whether the CFR can Professor Guillermo Palao Moreno, University of INSTRUMENT? serve as an ‘optional instrument’. In its resolution on Valencia the Stockholm Programme of 25 November 2009, the European Parliament emphasised ”that the Mr Patrice Pellegrino, Senior Adviser, political CFR should result in an optional and directly EuroCommerce, Brussels applicable instrument enabling parties to a contract, Trier, 18-19 March 2010 inter alia companies and consumers, freely to choose Ms Nuria Rodríguez Murillo, Senior Legal Officer, ERA Congress Centre European Contract Law as the law governing their BEUC, Brussels Metzer Allee 4, Trier transaction.” Against this background, participants will discuss the contents as well as the pros and cons Professor Hans Schulte-Nölke, European Legal of an optional instrument. Studies Institute, University of Osnabrück Conference organiser:

Dr Angelika Fuchs Professor Matthias E. Storme, KU Leuven and For further information: University of Language:

Christiane Schmitz English Tel. +49 (0)651 937 37 34 Ms Diana Wallis, Vice-President of the European Fax. +49 (0)651 937 37 95 Parliament, Brussels/Strasbourg Event number:

E-mail: [email protected] 110D08 Online Registration: www.era.int

Travel to Trier: the most convenient way to travel is through . PROFESSIONAL TRAINING (CPD) Luxembourg airport to the ERA Congress Centre see www.era.int takes just 30 minutes by car. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication refl ects the views only www.taxifranken.de/era of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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Thursday, 18 March 2010 Friday, 19 March 2010

11:00 Arrival and registration of Chair: Hans Schulte-Nölke III. Towards an optional instrument? participants / Welcome coffee 14:30 The revision of the Package Chair: Christian von Bar Travel Directive Chair: Hugh Beale Piotr Machnikowski 09:00 An optional instrument for B2B contracts I. Setting up a Common Frame of 15:00 Discussion Hugh Beale Reference (CFR) 15:30 Coffee break 09:30 From the (D)CFR to the 11:30 From the academic to the "blue button" political CFR Chair: Eric Clive B2C sales: Hans Schulte-Nölke  European Commission: Services: Matthias Storme Giuseppe Abbamonte 16:00 Consumer Rights Directive  Spanish EU Presidency: and CFR: a synopsis 10:15 Discussion  notion of consumer Rafael Gil Nievas  information duties 10:30 Coffee break  right of withdrawal for 12:15 Discussion distance & off-premises Chair: Diana Wallis contracts

II. Improving the quality of  liability for lack of 11:00 The optional instrument as EU legislation: CFR as toolbox conformity a ’28th system’  unfair terms  Conflict of laws issues 12:30 How to use principles, Chantal Mak  National mandatory rules definitions and model rules Guillermo Palao Moreno when drafting EU law 16:45 Towards the Consumer Rights

Eric Clive Directive and beyond 11:30 Discussion with an introduction by

13:00 Discussion Giuseppe Abbamonte 11:45 What can we expect from an o Nuria Rodríguez Murillo optional instrument? o Patrice Pellegrino 13:15 Lunch Christian von Bar

Bénédicte Fauvarque-Cosson 17:30 Plenary discussion

12:30 Quo vadis CFR? Programme may be subject to amendment 18:15 End of the first conference day For programme updates: Diana Wallis

http://www.era.int 19:30 Evening programme 13:00 End of the conference

ERA · Metzer Allee 4 · D-54295 Trier Tel. +49 651 9 37 37-0 · Fax +49 651 9 37 37-90 www.era.int · [email protected]