The Foundations of European Private Law

There remains an urgent need for a deeper discussion of the theoretical, political, and federal dimensions of the European codification project. While much valuable work has already been undertaken, the essays in this collection take as their starting point the proposition that further reflection and critical thought will enhance the quality and efficacy of the on-going work of the various codification bodies. The book's papers are written by: prestigious scholars on the foundations of European private law; representatives of the Common Frame of Reference, the Study Group, and the Acquis Group; and those who have not been involved in particular projects, but who have previously commented more distantly on their work - for instance, those belonging to the Trento Group and the Social Justice Group. With these groups' contributions, The Foundations of European Private Law represents the most comprehensive attempt so far to survey the state of the codification project; its theoretical, political, and federal foundations; and the future prospects for enforcement and compliance.

Roger Brownsword is Professor of Law at King's College, London, UK. Hans-W Micklitz is Director of Graduate Studies and Professor of Economic Law at the European University Institute, Florence, Italy.Leone Niglia is Director of the Centre for European Legal Studies and Associate Professor of Law/Reader at the University of Exeter, UK. Stephen Weatherill is Jacques Delors Professor of European Law at the University of Oxford (UK) and a Fellow of Somerville College.