Universidad Pública de Navarra - Nafarroako Univertsitate Publikoa

Module/Subject matter

PRIVATE LAW / PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW

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Contents

Introduction to Private International Law. Specifically focusing on international jurisdiction, applicable law and international effectiveness of decisions.

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General proficiencies

• Ability to analyse and synthesize (C.G.1)
• Organization and planification skills (C.G.2)
• Ability to communicate in native tongue (C.G.3)
• Developing learning skills with a high degree of autonomy to face future academic challenges (C.B.5)
• Ability to process information (C.G.6)
• Problem resolution (C.G.7)
• Teamwork (C.G.9)
• Autonomous learning (C.G.16)
• Reflection ability (C.G.22)
• Ability to identify problems (C.G.23)

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Specific proficiencies

• Ability to read and understand basic legal texts (C.E.a.1)
• Ability to manage legal sources (C.E.a.2)
• Ability to write basic legal documents (C.E.a.3)
• Ability to examine and summarize the essential legal issues  (C.E.a.5)
• Ability to use computer/on-line tools to find legal sources and case law (C.E.a.6)
• Basic legal reasoning (C.E.a.8)
• Ability to identify legal consequences in social issues  (C.E.a.10)

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Learning outcomes

• Organize coherently the contents of the course
• Write legal documents related to the contents of the course in a clear way, using precise terminology
• Make use of the theoretical concepts of the course to reach solutions for real life legal issues
• Be aware of the diversity of the society and be able to adapt to new situations
• Critically review the different issues covered in the course
• Recognize the transverse nature of the concept of equality and understand its application to the issues covered in the course
• The student must be able to identify and describe specific Private International Law legal issues
• The student must be able to describe the main sources of Private International Law, interpret them and apply them to practical cases
• Ability to identify the law applicable to specific international private issues
• Ability to gather different solutions in legal issues regarding international private situations

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Methodology

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Languages

The course is given in English.

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Evaluation

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Agenda

I ¿ Private International Law: preliminary considerations

1. PIL: general notion
2. Main characteristics
3. Autonomy of the PIL
4. Exclusiveness of the PIL
5. Relativity of the PIL
6. PIL, object of study: private international situations-conflicts

II ¿ Private International Law: sources in Spanish law

1. Sources in Spanish law: historical antecedents
2. Classification
3. The Constitution as main source
4. Treaties and conventions
5. Europeanization of the PIL
6. Internal sources of PIL
7. Conflict of laws rules
8. Interpretation rules
9. Legislative gaps
10. International law of the EU: other considerations

III ¿ International jurisdiction ¿ conflict of jurisdictions: introductory remarks

1. General notion and main characteristics
2. Limitations
3. Jurisdictional immunity
4. Forums of jurisdiction: concept and classification

IV- International jurisdiction ¿ conflict of jurisdictions: sources in Private International Law

1. Jurisdiction and international instruments
2. Regulation (EU) 1215/2012
3. The Regulation and international conventions
4. Scope of application
5. Jurisdiction: general principles
6. Exclusive jurisdiction
7. Prorogation of jurisdiction
8. General rule: the domicile of the defendant
9. Special jurisdiction in specific situations
10. Lis pendens and related actions       
11. Provisional measures
12. Examination as to jurisdiction
13. Procedural guarantees
14. 2007 Lugano Convention and 1968 Brussels Convention
15. Other international instruments on international jurisdiction
16. Other European regulations

V- International jurisdiction ¿ conflict of jurisdictions: sources in Spanish law

1. Spanish ¿LOPJ¿: general considerations
2. Forum of necessity      
3. Forum Non Conveniens
4. Compatibility of internal and international rules
5. The functioning of the ¿LOPJ¿: general considerations
6. Exclusive jurisdiction
7. Prorogation of jurisdiction ¿ choice of Spanish courts
8. Prorogation of jurisdiction ¿ choice of non-Spanish courts
9. Spain as the domicile of the defendant
10. Special jurisdiction
11. Examination as to jurisdiction of Spanish courts
12. International lis pendens
13. Provisional measures  

VI ¿ Rules and regulatory techniques in Private International Law

1. Types of rules in PIL and coexistence of rules
2. Art. 8.1 Spanish Cc. and the use of Public Law in international cases
3. Conflict-of-law rules: notion and structure
4. Connecting factors of the conflict rules
5. Conflict-of-law rules: legal consequences
6. Mandatory character of conflict rules
7. Escape and exclusion clauses
8. Bilateral and unilateral conflict rules

VII ¿ Conflict-of-law rules: application problems (I)

1. The time factor
2. Determination of the conflict rule
3. Categorization and the presence of institutions unknown in Spanish law
4. Categorization in international treaties-conventions
5. The preliminary question        
6. The mobility conflict
7. The abuse of law
8. Renvoi: notion, characteristics and doctrinal debate
9. Renvoi and international conventions
10. Renvoi and Spanish law, art. 12.2 of the Cc

VIII - Conflict-of-law rules: application problems (II)

1. Application of foreign law: historical precedents
2. Application of foreign law: procedural considerations
3. Proof of foreign law: context
4. Proof of foreign law: means of proof
5. Proof of foreign law: other issues
6. Transitory international conflicts
7. Application of foreign law of nations not recognised by Spain
8. Application of foreign law that goes against the constitution of the state of origin
9. Appeals based on violation of foreign law
10. International public policy: notion and characteristics
11. International public policy regulated by international conventions
12. International public policy and Spanish private international law

IX ¿ Internal conflict-of-law problems in Spanish law

1. Internal conflicts: context
2. Types of internal conflicts
3. Internal dimension of the PIL system
4. Historical precedents
5. Constitutional issues. Case law of the TC (Constitutional Court)
6. Internal conflicts and Spanish Civil Law
7. Residency: legal framework
8. Internal conflicts: regulation
9. Internal conflicts and Spanish ¿autonomous communities¿

X ¿ Extraterritorial effectiveness of judgements: introductory remarks

1. Relativity of PIL and the effectiveness of foreign judgements
2. Effectiveness of foreign judgements in Spain
3. Recognition
4. Exequatur
5. Mutual recognition principle
6. Modification of foreign judgements

XI ¿ Effectiveness of foreign judgements in Spain

1. Applicable international instruments
2. Regulation 1215/2012: context
3. Recognition and enforcement in the Regulation
4. Bilateral conventions
5. International instruments on specific matters
6. Spanish law: the 2015 ¿LCJIMC¿ and international conventions

XII ¿ Applicable procedural law and international judicial assistance

1. The lex fori regit processum principle
2. Capacity of the litigants
3. Legal standing ¿¿legitimation¿
4. Legal representation
5. Free legal assistance
6. The provisional seizure
7. Proof
8. International legal assistance: general aspects
9. Notification in international litigation
10. Obtaining evidence in international litigation
11. Notification and obtaining evidence in the absence of international instrument

XIII ¿ The natural person

1. Capacity of the natural person: art. 9.1 of the Cc
2. Nationality of the natural person as connecting factor
3. Multiple nationality
4. The stateless person
5. Refugees and
6. Presumption-declaration of absence-death
7. Legal age
8. Emancipation
9. Disablement
10. Rights of the natural person

XIV ¿ Marriage and domestic partnership

1. Different types of family structures and PIL
2. The promise of marriage
3. Law applicable to the marriage
   1. Capacity
   2. Consent
4. Polygamy
5. Law applicable to the celebration of the marriage
6. Effects of the marriage

XV ¿ International contract law

1. International jurisdiction and international contracts
2. Applicable law: basic aspects
3. Applicable law: the new lex mercatoria
4. Applicable law: Regulation (EC) No 593/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 on the law applicable to contractual obligations (Rome I)
   1. Scope of application
   2. The freedom of choice
   3. Applicable law in the absence of choice
5. Matters covered by the lex contractus
6. International contractual obligations and mandatory international provisions
7. Formal validity of the contract: applicable law
8. The capacity of the parties: applicable law
9. Proof of the obligation: applicable law
10. Legal subrogation: applicable law
11. International commercial arbitration
12. Individual employment contracts
13. International consumer contracts

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Bibliography

Access the bibliography that your professor has requested from the Library.

The notes given by the professor will be based and complemented by the following:

J. L. Iriarte Ángel, M. Casado Abarquero, A. Muñoz Fernández, Código de Derecho Intrernacional Privado, 17ª edición, Cizur Menor, Aranzadi, 2019.

Adrian Briggs, The Conflict of Laws, fourth edition, Clarendon Law Series, 2019.

Adrian Briggs, Civil Jurisdiction and Judgements, Lloyd´s Commercial Law Library, London, 2015.

Fentiman, R., International Commercial Litigation, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 2015.

L. Calvo Caravaca, J. Carrascosa González, Compendio de Derecho internacional privado, Editorial Rapid Centro Color, 2. Edición, Murcia, 2020.

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Location

PUBLIC UNIVERSITY OF NAVARRE. CAMPUS ARROSADÍA. AULARIO.

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