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

(89/128/EEC)

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,

HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS:

Paul DE KEERSMAEKER

State Secretary for European Affairs and Agriculture, Deputy to the Minister for External Relations

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF DENMARK:

Knud Erik TYGESEN

State Secretary

THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY:

Irmgard ADAM-SCHWAETZER

Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

THE PRESIDENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC:

Théodoros PANGALOS

Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs

HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF SPAIN:

Francisco FERNANDEZ ORDOÑEZ

Minister for Foreign Affairs

THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC:

Philippe LOUËT

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND:

Brian LENIHAN

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs

THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC:

Gianni MANZOLONI

State Secretary for Foreign Affairs

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG:

Jacques POOS

Vice-President of the Government, Minister for Foreign Affairs, External Trade and Cooperation, Minister for the Economy and the Middle Classes, Minister for the Treasury

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS:

H. van den BROEK

Minister for Foreign Affairs

THE PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC:

João de Deus PINHEIRO

Minister for Foreign Affairs

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND:

Lynda CHALKER

Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

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;

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'Etat (de Raad van State),

— in Denmark:

Højesteret,

— in the Federal Republic of Germany:

die obersten Gerichtshöfe des Bundes,

— in Greece:

Τα ανώτατα Αικαστήρια,

— in Spain:

el Tribunal Supremo,

— in France:

la Cour de cassation and le Conseil d'Etat,

— 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 the Netherlands:

de Hoge Raad,

— in Portugal:

o Supremo Tribunal de Justiça and o Supremo Tribunal Administrativo,

— 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

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

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(1), 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

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;

(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

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.

En fe de lo cual, los plenipotenciarios abajo firmantes suscriben el presente Protocolo.

Til bekræftelse heraf har undertegnede befuldmægtigede underskrevet denne protokol.

Zu Urkund dessen haben die unterzeichneten Bevollmächtigten ihre Unterschrift unter dieses Protokoll gesetzt.

Σε πίστωση των ανωτέρω, οι κάτωθι πληρεξούσιοι υπέγραψαν το παρόν πρωτόκολλο.

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

En foi de quoi, les plénipotentiaires soussignés ont apposé leur signature au bas du présent protocole.

Dá fhianú sin, chuir na Lánchumhachtaigh thíos-sínithe a lámh leis an bPrótacal seo.

In fede di che, i plenipotenziari sottoscritti hanno apposto le loro firme in calce al presente protocollo.

Ten blijke waarvan de ondergetekende gevolmachtigden hun handtekening onder dit Protocol hebben gesteld.

Em fé do que, os plenipotenciários abaixo assinados apuseram as suas assinaturas no final do presente protocolo.

Hecho en Bruselas, el diecinueve de diciembre de mil novecientos ochenta y ocho.

Udfærdiget i Bruxelles, den nittende december nitten hundrede og otteogfirs.

Geschehen zu Brüssel am neunzehnten Dezember neunzehnhundertachtundachtzig.

Έγινε στις Βρυξέλλες, στις δέκα εννέα Δεκεμβρίου χίλια εννιακόσια ογδόντα οκτώ.

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

Fait à Bruxelles, le dix-neuf décembre mil neuf cent quatre-vingt-huit.

Arna dhéanamh sa Bhruiséil, an naoú lá déag de Nollaig sa bhliain míle naoi gcéad ochtó a hocht.

Fatto a Bruxelles, addì diciannove dicembre millenovecentottantotto.

Gedaan te Brussel, de negentiende december negentienhonderd achtentachtig.

Feito em Bruxelas, em dezanove de Dezembro de mil novecentos e oitenta e oito.

Pour Sa Majesté le roi des Belges

Voor Zijne Majesteit de Koning der Belgen

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For Hendes Majestæt Danmarks Dronning

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Für den Präsidenten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

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Για τον Πρόεδρο της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας

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Por Su Majestad el Rey de España

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Pour le président de la République française

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Thar ceann Uachtarán na hÉireann

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Per il presidente della Repubblica italiana

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Pour Son Altesse Royale le grand-duc de Luxembourg

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Voor Hare Majesteit de Koningin der Nederlanden

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Pelo Presidente da República Portuguesa

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For Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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(1) See page 17 of this Official Journal.

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.

En fe de lo cual, los plenipotenciarios abajo firmantes suscriben la presente Declaración común.

Til bekræftelse heraf har undertegnede befuldmægtigede underskrevet denne fælleserklæring.

Zu Urkund dessen haben die unterzeichneten Bevollmächtigten ihre Unterschrift unter diese Gemeinsame Erklärung gesetzt.

Σε πίστωση των ανωτέρω, οι κάτωθι πληρεξούσιοι υπέγραψαν την παρούσα κοινή δήλωση.

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

En foi de quoi, les plénipotentiaires soussignés ont apposé leur signature au bas de la présente déclaration commune.

Dá fhianú sin, chuir na Lánchumhachtaigh thíos-sínithe a lámh leis an Dearbhú Comhpháirteach seo.

In fede di che, i plenipotenziari sottoscritti hanno apposto le loro firme in calce alla presente dichiarazione comune.

Ten blijke waarvan de ondergetekende gevolmachtigden hun handtekening onder deze gemeenschappelijke verklaring hebben gesteld.

Em fé do que, os plenipotenciários abaixo assinados apuseram as suas assinaturas no final da presente declaração comum.