Press Release: European Union brings in harmonised rules on law applicable to civil liability (“Rome II” Regulation)

After four years of negotiations, the European Parliament and the Council, meeting in the Conciliation Committee on 15 May 2007, approved a regulation harmonising the rules concerning the law applicable to non-contractual obligations ("Rome II"). This measure is part of the work in progress in the European Union on creating a genuine European area of freedom and justice. The aim is to ensure that courts in all the Member States apply the same law in the event of cross-border disputes in matters of tort/delict, thus facilitating the mutual recognition of court decisions in the European Union. The rules that have been adopted make it possible to strike a proper balance between the interests of the various parties involved in a cross-border dispute and to designate a law which is closely connected with the situation.