Reforming the French Law of Obligations

Comparative Reflections on the Avant-projet de réforme du droit des obligations et de la prescription ('the Avant-projet Catala')

John Cartwright, Stefan Vogenauer, Simon Whittaker, John Cartwright, Stefan Vogenauer, Simon Whittaker

• Publisher: Hart Publishing
• Year: 2009
• Print ISBN:
  9781841138053
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781847315021
• Topic: Law
• Subtopic: Contract Law
• Index: Law

The 2005 Avant-projet de réforme du droit des obligations et de la prescription, also dubbed the Avant-projet Catala, suggests the most far-reaching reform of the French Civil code since it came into force in 1804. It reviews central aspects of contract law, the law of delict and the law of unjustified enrichment. There is currently a very lively debate in France as to the merits or the demerits of both the particular draft provisions and the general idea of recodification as such.

This volume is the first publication to introduce the reform proposals to an English speaking audience. It contains the official English translation of the text, and distinguished private lawyers from both England and France analyse and assess particularly interesting aspects of the substantive draft provisions in a comparative perspective. Topics covered include negotiation and renegotiation of contracts, la cause, the enforcement of contractual obligations, termination of contract and its consequences, the effects of contracts on third parties, the definition of la faute, the quantification of damages, and the law of prescription. The volume also contains an overall assessment of the draft provisions by one of the most senior French judges who chaired the Working Party on the Avant-projet, established by the French Supreme Court, the Cour de cassation.

The book is indispensable for comparative private lawyers and lawyers with a particular interest in French law. It is also of use to all private lawyers (both academics and practitioners) looking for information on recent international and European trends in contract and tort.

Table of contents

• Prelims
• Preface
• Contents
• Contributors
• List of Abbreviations
• Part I
• 1 The Avant-projet de réforme: An Overview
• Part II
• 2 Negotiation and Renegotiation: A French Perspective
• 3 Negotiation and Renegotiation: An English Perspective
• 4 A Future for la cause? Observations of a French Jurist
• 5 La cause or the Length of the French Judiciary’s Foot
• 6 The Enforcement of Contractual Obligations: A French Perspective
• 7 The Enforcement of Contractual Obligations: Comparative Observations on the Notion of Performance
• 8 Termination of Contract: A Missed Opportunity for Reform
• 9 ‘Termination’ for Contractual Non-performance and its Consequences: French Law Reviewed in the Light of the Avant-projet de réforme
• 10 Contracts and Third Parties in the Avant-projet de réforme
• 11 The Effects of Contracts on Third Parties: The Avant-projet de réforme in a Comparative Perspective
• 12 The Definition of la faute in the Avant-projet de réforme
• 13 The Role of la faute in the Avant-projet de réforme
• 14 Damages, Loss and the Quantification of Damages in the Avant-projet de réforme
• 15 Comparative Observations on the Introduction of Punitive Damages in French Law
• 16 Reforming the French Law of Prescription: A French Perspective
• 17 Reforming the French Law of Prescription: An English Perspective
• 18 The Work of the Cour de cassation on the Avant-projet de réforme
• 19 Summaries of the Discussions
• 20 Emerging Themes
• Part III
• 21 Translating the Avant-projet de réforme
• Translators’ Preface
• Sommaire
• Contents
• Personnes ayant participé à la préparation de l’avant-projet
• Participants in the preparation of the Reform Proposals
• Présentation générale de l’avant-projet
• General Presentation of the Reform Proposals
• Introduction
• Introduction
• Exposé des motifs
• Preamble
• Validité du contrat – Consentement
• Validity of the Contract – Consent
• Validité – Objet
• Validity – Subject-Matter
• Validité – Cause
• Validity – Cause
• Validité – Forme
• Validity – Form
• Sanctions
• Sanctions
• Effet des conventions, Interprétation, Qualification
• The Effects of Contracts; Contractual Interpretation and Contractual Classification
• Diverses espèces d’obligations
• The Various Types of Obligations
• Exécution des obligations
• The Performance of Obligations
• Inexécution des obligations
• The Non-Performance of Obligations
• Restitutions après anéantissement du contrat
• Restitution Following the Destruction of a Contract
• Effet des conventions à l’égard des tiers
• The Effects of Contracts as regards Third Parties
• Obligations conditionnelles, à terme, alternatives et facultatives
• Conditional, Time-Delayed, Alternative and Discretionary Obligations
• Obligations solidaires et indivisibles
• Joint and Several Obligations, and Indivisible Obligations
• Extinction des obligations
• Extinction of Obligations
• De la consignation avec offre de paiement
• Deposit With a Public Depositary Together With an Offer of Satisfaction
• Preuve des obligations
• Proof of Obligations
• Quasi-contrats
• Quasi-Contracts
• Chapitre préliminaire De la source des obligations
• Preliminary Chapter The Source of Obligations
• Sous-titre I
• Sub-Title I
• 2 Des conditions essentielles pour la validité des conventions
• 2 The Essential Conditions for the Validity of Contracts
• 3 De l’effet des conventions
• 3 The Effects of Contracts
• 4 Des modalités de l’obligation
• 4 Modalities of Obligations
• 5 De l’extinction des obligations
• 5 Extinction of Obligations
• 6 Des opérations sur créances
• 6 Transactions Relating to Rights Under Obligations
• 7 De la preuve des obligations
• 7 Proof of Obligations
• Sous-titre II
• Sub-Title II
• 1 De la gestion d’affaires
• 1 Management of Another Person’s Affairs
• 2 Du paiement de l’indu
• 2 Undue Payment
• 3 De l’enrichissement sans cause
• 3 Unjustified Enrichment
• Sous-titre III
• Sub-Title III
• 1 Dispositions préliminaires
• 1 Introductory Provisions
• 2 Des conditions de la responsabilité
• 2 The Conditions of Liability
• 3 Des effets de la responsabilité
• 3 The Effects of Liability
• 4 Les principaux régimes spéciaux de responsabilité ou d’indemnisation
• 4 The Principal Special Regimes of Liability or Compensation
• Livre Troisième: De la Prescription et de la Possession
• Book Three: Prescription and Possession
• 1 Dispositions générales
• 1 General Provisions
• 2 De la possession
• 2 Possession
• 3 Des causes qui empêchent la prescription
• 3 The Grounds on which Prescription is Impeded
• 4 Des causes qui interrompent ou qui suspendent le cours de la prescription
• 4 The Grounds on which the Running of Prescription is Interrupted or Suspended
• Index