The term 'commercial' is intended to exclude consumer contracts. The PECL, on the contrary, expressly include consumer contracts in their scope. On the one hand the rules protecting the consumer in their country of domicile demand adherence irrespective of the choice of law. No global treaty with respect to contract law is foreseeable. In Europe the chances for an overarching codification of the contract law are much higher.
Legal harmonisation follows economic harmonisation.
This has been the experience of German unification at the end of the 19th century and the beginnings of the European Communities in the 1950's and 60's. Although in parts greatly different, the various national laws have Roman law as their common core. British common law with its apparently distinct difference is undergoing Europeanisation by developing more statutory law. The differences between the United Kingdom and the civil law continent are constantly decreasing 66 thus enabling the integration of the British system into the European development of a common civil or contract code. With the parliament gaining in strength and influence in the EU, this fostering relationship will be of some importance towards the inclusion of the PECL in the process of harmonisation.