The Law Applicable to Cross Border Road Traffic Accidents by Jenny Papettas A thesis submitted to the University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY School of Law University of Birmingham September 2013 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Abstract This Thesis addresses the issue of which law should apply in cases concerning cross border road traffic accidents. From the perspective of English law it examines the changes which have been effected by the adoption of the EU Rome II Regulation, the likely outcomes of the rules of Rome II, the interaction of Rome II with the Motor Insurance Directives and the complex tripartite relationship between Rome II, the Directives and the Hague Convention on the law Applicable to Traffic Accidents. The conclusion is that Rome II represents a different and more rigid approach to choice of law than previously existed in England and Wales. The dominant aim of Rome II is that of certainty and uniformity. Nevertheless, the competing aim of achieving justice for the parties creates a residual amount of conflict and uncertainty. However, a major criticism of the drafting of Rome II, advanced by this Thesis, is that it failed to recognise the importance of insurance in the settlement of traffic accident claims and to reflect this fact in its rules. This Thesis offers some proposals for reform in this regard. Table of Contents Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. English Choice of Law Rules 15 3. Rome II: Back ground and Scope 38 4. Rome II: Choice of Law Rules 73 5. The Motor Insurance Directives 133 6. The Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to 190 Traffic Accidents 7. Conclusion 259 i Detailed Table of Contents Detailed Table of Contents Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. i Detailed Table of Contents .............................................................................................. ii Table of Cases ................................................................................................................ vii Table of Legislation ........................................................................................................ xi 1. Introduction ................................................................................. 1 1.1. Road Accidents – The Choice-of-Law Issues. .......................................................1 1.2. Scope of The Thesis .............................................................................................. 4 1.2.1. Rules of Jurisdiction .......................................................................................................... 6 1.2.2. Type of Obligations ........................................................................................................... 6 1.3. The Aims and Approach of The Thesis ................................................................ 7 1.3.1. Aims ..................................................................................................................................... 7 1.3.2. A Doctrinal Approach....................................................................................................... 9 1.3.3. Comparative Aspects ....................................................................................................... 10 1.4. Definitions ............................................................................................................ 10 1.4.1. Defendant ......................................................................................................................... 10 1.4.2. The Motor Insurance Directives ................................................................................... 11 1.4.3. Traffic Accident ............................................................................................................... 11 1.4.4. Cross Border Traffic Accident ....................................................................................... 12 1.4.5. Intra-Community Cross Border Traffic Accidents ..................................................... 12 1.5. Structure................................................................................................................ 13 2. English Choice-of-Law Rules ................................................. 15 2.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 15 2.2. Choice-of-Law At Common Law ......................................................................... 16 2.2.1. Double Actionability ....................................................................................................... 16 ii Detailed Table of Contents 2.2.2. The Exception .................................................................................................................. 17 2.3. The 1995 Act ......................................................................................................... 21 2.3.1. The Scope of the Act....................................................................................................... 22 2.3.1.1. Accidents Occurring in England ....................................................................................... 22 2.3.1.2. Tort and Issues in Tort ..................................................................................................... 22 2.3.2. Choice-of-Law Rules ....................................................................................................... 26 2.3.2.1. The General Rule ............................................................................................................. 26 2.3.2.2. The Rule of Displacement ................................................................................................. 27 2.3.3. The Scope of the Applicable Law ................................................................................. 31 2.3.3.1. Rules Relating to Liability................................................................................................ 31 2.3.3.2. Limitation Periods............................................................................................................ 32 2.3.3.3. Substance and procedure and the Quantification of Damages ............................................. 33 2.4. Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 36 3. Rome II: Background and Scope ........................................... 38 3.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 38 3.2. Methodology ........................................................................................................ 39 3.3. The Legislative Process ........................................................................................ 41 3.3.1. The Commission Proposal ............................................................................................. 41 3.3.2. Proposed Amendments From the European Parliament .......................................... 42 3.3.3. Conflict Between The Parliament and The Council ................................................... 45 3.3.4. The Compromise ............................................................................................................. 45 3.3.5. Concluding Remarks on the Legislative Process ......................................................... 47 3.4. Interpretation ....................................................................................................... 48 3.4.1. The Need to develop Autonomous Meanings ............................................................ 48 3.4.2. The Role of Recitals ........................................................................................................ 50 3.5. The Scope of Rome II ......................................................................................... 52 3.5.1. Territorial Scope ............................................................................................................... 53 3.5.1.1. Article 25 ........................................................................................................................ 53 3.5.1.2. Article 28 ........................................................................................................................ 54 3.5.1.3. Article 3 .......................................................................................................................... 55 3.5.2. Temporal Application ..................................................................................................... 57 3.5.3. Material Scope - Article 1 (1) ........................................................................................ 59 3.5.3.1. Non-contractual Obligations ............................................................................................. 60 3.5.3.2. Situations Involving a Conflict of Laws ............................................................................