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,

HAVE DECIDED to conclude a Protocol conferring jurisdiction on the Court of Justice of the European Communities to interpret that Convention, and to this end have designated as their Plenipotentiaries:

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 ORDO脩EZ

Minister for Foreign Affairs

THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC:

Philippe LOU脣T

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 MANZOLINI

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:

Jo茫o 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

WHO, meeting within the Council of the European Communities, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form,

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;

(c) this Protocol.

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:

Hoejesteret,

- in the Federal Republic of Germany:

die obersten Gerichtshoefe des Bundes,

- in Greece:

脭谩 谩铆镁么谩么谩 脕é锚谩贸么脼帽é谩,

- 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 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. N掳 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;

(c) any designation communicated pursuant to Article 3 (3);

(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 bekraeftelse heraf har undertegnede befuldmaegtigede underskrevet denne protokol.

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

脫aa 冒ss贸么霉贸ç 么霉铆 谩铆霉么脻帽霉, 茂é 锚UE么霉èé 冒毛ç帽aa卯茂媒贸é茂é 玫冒脻茫帽谩oe谩铆 么茂 冒谩帽ue铆 冒帽霉么ue锚茂毛毛茂.

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.

D谩 fhian煤 sin, chuir na L谩nchumhachtaigh th铆os-s铆nithe a l谩mh leis an bPr贸tacal 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 plenipotenci谩rios abaixo assinados apuseram as suas assinaturas no final do presente protocolo.

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

Geschehen zu Bruessel am neunzehnten Dezember neunzehnhundertachtundachtzig.

ssAA茫é铆aa 贸么é貌 脗帽玫卯脻毛毛aa貌, 贸么é貌 ae脻锚谩 aa铆铆脻谩 AEaa锚aa矛芒帽ss茂玫 梅ss毛é谩 aa铆铆é谩锚ue贸é谩 茂茫aeue铆么谩 茂锚么镁.

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

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

Arna dhéanamh sa Bhruiséil, an nao煤 l谩 déag de Nollaig sa bhliain m铆le naoi gcéad ocht贸 a hocht.

Fatto a Bruxelles, add矛 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

For Hendes Majestaet Danmarks Dronning

Fuer den Praesidenten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Por Su Majestad el Rey de Espa帽a

Pour le président de la République française

Thar ceann Uachtar谩n na h脡ireann

Per il presidente della Repubblica italiana

Voor Hare Majesteit de Koningin der Nederlanden

Pelo Presidente da Rep煤blica Portuguesa

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

(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.

Til bekraeftelse heraf har undertegnede befuldmaegtigede underskrevet denne faelleserklaering.

Zu Urkund dessen haben die unterzeichneten Bevollmaechtigten ihre Unterschrift unter diese Gemeinsame Erklaerung gesetzt.

脫aa 冒ss贸么霉贸ç 么霉铆 谩铆霉么脻帽霉, 茂é 锚UE么霉èé 冒毛ç帽aa卯茂媒贸é茂é 玫冒脻茫帽谩oe谩铆 么ç铆 冒谩帽茂媒贸谩 锚茂é铆脼 ae脼毛霉贸ç.

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.

D谩 fhian煤 sin, chuir na L谩nchumhachtaigh th铆os-s铆nithe a l谩mh leis an Dearbh煤 Comhph谩irteach 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 gemeenschap-

pelijke verklaring hebben gesteld.

Em fé do que, os plenipotenci谩rios abaixo assinados apuseram as suas assinaturas no final da presente declaraç茫o comum.

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

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

Geschehen zu Bruessel am neunzehnten Dezember neunzehnhundertachtundachtzig.

ssAA茫é铆aa 贸么é貌 脗帽玫卯脻毛毛aa貌, 贸么é貌 ae脻锚谩 aa铆铆脻谩 AEaa锚aa矛芒帽ss茂玫 梅ss毛é谩 aa铆铆é谩锚ue贸é谩 茂茫aeue铆么谩 茂锚么镁.

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

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

Arna dhéanamh sa Bhruiséil, an nao煤 l谩 déag de Nollaig sa bhliain m铆le naoi gcéad ocht贸 a hocht.

Fatto a Bruxelles, add矛 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.

Voor de Regering van het Koninkrijk Belgi毛

For regeringen for Kongeriget Danmark

Fuer die Regierung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

脙é谩 么ç铆 脢玫芒脻帽铆ç贸ç 么ç貌 AA毛毛ç铆é锚脼貌 AEç矛茂锚帽谩么ss谩貌

Por el Gobierno del Reino de Espa帽a

Pour le gouvernement de la République française

Thar ceann Rialtas na h脡ireann

Per il governo della Repubblica italiana

Pour le gouvernement du grand-duché de Luxembourg

Voor de Regering van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

Pelo Governo da Rep煤blica Portuguesa

For the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

脦茂é铆么 AEaaoe毛谩帽谩么é茂铆

脭çaa 脙茂霉aa帽铆矛aa铆么贸 茂oe 么çaa 脢é铆茫ae茂矛 茂oe 脗aa毛茫éè矛, 么çaa 脢é铆茫ae茂矛 茂oe AEaa铆矛谩帽锚, 么çaa OEaaaeaa帽谩毛 脩aa冒è芒毛éoe 茂oe 脙aa帽矛谩铆ae, 么çaa 脟aa毛毛aa铆éoe 脩aa冒è芒毛éoe, 么çaa 脢é铆茫ae茂矛 茂oe 脫冒谩é铆, 么çaa OE帽aa铆oeç 脩aa冒è芒毛éoe, 脡帽aa毛谩铆ae, 么çaa 脡么谩毛é谩铆 脩aa冒è芒毛éoe, 么çaa 脙帽谩铆ae AEèoeçae 茂oe 脣è梅aa矛芒茂è帽茫, 么çaa 脢é铆茫ae茂矛 茂oe 么çaa 脥aa么çaa帽毛谩铆ae贸, 么çaa 脨茂帽么è茫èaa贸aa 脩aa冒è芒毛éoe 谩铆ae 么çaa 脠铆é么aaae 脢é铆茫ae茂矛 茂oe 脙帽aa谩么 脗帽é么谩é铆 谩铆ae 脥茂帽么çaa帽铆 脡帽aa毛谩铆ae,

脧铆 贸é茫铆é铆茫 么çaa OEé帽贸么 脨帽茂么茂oe茂毛 茂铆 么çaa é铆么aa帽冒帽aa么谩么é茂铆 芒ae 么çaa OE茂è帽么 茂oe 脦è贸么éoeaa 茂oe 么çaa AAè帽茂冒aa谩铆 OE茂矛矛è铆é么éaa贸 茂oe 么çaa OE茂铆霉aa铆么é茂铆 茂铆 么çaa 毛谩貌 谩冒冒毛éoe谩芒毛aa 么茂 oe茂铆么帽谩oe么è谩毛 茂芒毛é茫谩么é茂铆贸, 茂冒aa铆aaae oe茂帽 贸é茫铆谩么è帽aa é铆 脩茂矛aa 茂铆 19 脦è铆aa 1980,

脟谩霉é铆茫 帽aa茫谩帽ae 么茂 么çaa 脦茂é铆么 AEaaoe毛谩帽谩么é茂铆 谩铆铆aa梅aaae 么茂 么çaa OE茂铆霉aa铆么é茂铆 茂铆 么çaa 毛谩貌 谩冒冒毛éoe谩芒毛aa 么茂 oe茂铆么帽谩oe么è谩毛 茂芒毛é茫谩么é茂铆贸,

AEaa贸é帽é铆茫 么茂 aa铆贸è帽aa 么ç谩么 么çaa OE茂铆霉aa铆么é茂铆 é贸 谩冒冒毛éaaae 谩贸 aaoeoeaaoe么é霉aa毛ae 谩铆ae 谩贸 è铆éoe茂帽矛毛ae 谩贸 冒茂贸贸é芒毛aa,

脕铆梅é茂è贸 么茂 冒帽aa霉aa铆么 aeéoeoeaa帽aa铆oeaa贸 茂oe é铆么aa帽冒帽aa么谩么é茂铆 茂oe 么çaa OE茂铆霉aa铆么é茂铆 oe帽茂矛 é矛冒谩é帽é铆茫 é么贸 è铆éoeaeé铆茫 aaoeoeaaoe么,

AA梅冒帽aa贸贸 么çaa 霉éaa貌 么ç谩么 谩铆ae 脫么谩么aa 貌çéoeç 芒aaoe茂矛aa贸 谩 矛aa矛芒aa帽 茂oe 么çaa AAè帽茂冒aa谩铆 OE茂矛矛è铆é么éaa贸 贸ç茂è毛ae 谩oeoeaaaeaa 么茂 么çé贸 脨帽茂么茂oe茂毛.

AA铆 oeaa aeaa 毛茂 oeè谩毛, 毛茂贸 冒毛aa铆é冒茂么aa铆oeé谩帽é茂贸 é铆oe帽谩贸oe帽é么茂贸 ç谩铆 aa贸么谩矛冒谩ae茂 贸è贸 oeé帽矛谩贸 aa铆 毛谩 冒帽aa贸aa铆么aa AEaaoe毛谩帽谩oeéue铆 oe茂矛铆.

脭é毛 芒aa锚帽 oe么aa毛贸aa çaa帽谩oe ç谩帽 è铆aeaa帽么aa茫铆aaaeaa 芒aaoeè毛ae矛 茫么é茫aaaeaa è铆aeaa帽贸锚帽aa霉aa么 aeaa铆铆aa oe 毛毛aa贸aa帽锚毛 帽é铆茫.

脮è 脠帽锚è铆ae aeaa贸贸aa铆 ç谩芒aa铆 aeéaa è铆么aa帽玫aaéoeç铆aa么aa铆 脗aa霉茂毛毛矛 oeç么é茫么aa铆 éç帽aa 脠铆么aa帽贸oeç帽éoe么 è铆么aa帽 aeéaa贸aa 脙aa矛aaé铆贸谩矛aa AA帽锚毛 帽è铆茫 茫aa贸aa么玫么.

脫aa 冒ss贸么霉贸ç 么霉铆 谩铆霉么脻帽霉, 茂é 锚UE么霉èé 冒毛ç帽aa卯茂媒贸é茂é 玫冒脻茫帽谩oe谩铆 么ç铆 冒谩帽茂媒贸谩 锚茂é铆脼 ae脼毛霉贸ç.

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

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

D谩 fhian煤 sin, chuir na L谩nchumhachtaigh th铆os-s铆nithe a l谩mh leis an Dearbh煤 Comhph谩irteach 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 gemeenschap-

pelijke verklaring hebben gesteld.

Em fé do que, os plenipotenci谩rios abaixo assinados apuseram as suas assinaturas no final da presente declaraç茫o comum.

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

Geschehen zu Bruessel am neunzehnten Dezember neunzehnhundertachtundachtzig.

ssAA茫é铆aa 贸么é貌 脗帽玫卯脻毛毛aa貌, 贸么é貌 ae脻锚谩 aa铆铆脻谩 AEaa锚aa矛芒帽ss茂玫 梅ss毛é谩 aa铆铆é谩锚ue贸é谩 茂茫aeue铆么谩 茂锚么镁.

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

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

Arna dhéanamh sa Bhruiséil, an nao煤 l谩 déag de Nollaig sa bhliain m铆le naoi gcéad ocht贸 a hocht.

Fatto a Bruxelles, add矛 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 le gouvernement du royaume de Belgique

Voor de Regering van het Koninkrijk Belgi毛

For regeringen for Kongeriget Danmark

Fuer die Regierung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Por el Gobierno del Reino de Espa帽a

Pour le gouvernement de la République française

Thar ceann Rialtas na h脡ireann

Per il governo della Repubblica italiana

Voor de Regering van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

Pelo Governo da Rep煤blica Portuguesa

For the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland