Convention on the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980 , and to the First and Second Protocols on its interpretation by the Court of Justice of the European Communities - Declarations
Date: 2005-04-14
Institutions: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Member States, United Kingdom
Subjects: Court of Justice of the European Union, Intergovernmental Convention (EU), common position, consolidation of EU law, contract

8.7.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 169/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

CONVENTION

ON THE ACCESSION OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA, THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS,
THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA, THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA, THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY, THE REPUBLIC
OF MALTA, THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND, THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA AND THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC TO
THE CONVENTION ON THE LAW APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS OPENED FOR
SIGNATURE IN ROME ON 19 JUNE 1980, AND TO THE FIRST AND SECOND PROTOCOLS ON ITS
INTERPRETATION BY THE COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

(2005/C 169/01)

THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY,

BEARING IN MIND the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the
Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the
Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic, and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the Euro-
pean Union is founded, and in particular Article 5(2) thereof,

RECALLING that by becoming Members of the European Union, the new Member States undertook to accede to the Con-
vention on the Law applicable to Contractual Obligations, opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980, and to the First
and Second Protocols on its interpretation by the Court of Justice as modified by the Convention signed in Luxembourg on
10 April 1984, on the accession of the Hellenic Republic, the Convention signed in Funchal on 18 May 1992 on the acces-
sion of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic, and the Convention signed in Brussels on 29 November 1996
on the accession of the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

TITLE I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

The Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of
Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the
Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of
Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic hereby
accede to:

— the Convention signed in Luxembourg on 10 April
1984, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Convention of
1984’, on the accession of the Hellenic Republic to the
Convention on the Law applicable to Contractual
Obligations,

— the Convention signed in Funchal on 18 May 1992,
hereinafter referred to as ‘the Convention of 1992’, on
the accession of the Kingdom of Spain and the Portu-
guese Republic to the Convention on the Law applicable
to Contractual Obligations,

(a)

the Convention on the Law applicable to Contractual Obli-
gations, opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980,
hereinafter referred to as ‘the Convention of 1980’, as it
the adjustments and
stands following incorporation of
amendments made thereto by:

— the Convention signed in Brussels on 29 November
1996, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Convention of
1996’, on the accession of the Republic of Austria, the
Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden to the
Convention on the Law applicable to Contractual
Obligations;

C 169/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.7.2005

(b)

the First Protocol, signed on 19 December 1988, hereinafter
referred to as ‘the First Protocol of 1988’ on the interpreta-
tion by the Court of Justice of the European Communities of
the Convention on the Law applicable to Contractual Obli-
gations, as it stands following incorporation of the adjust-
ments and amendments made thereto by the Convention of
1992 and the Convention of 1996;

(c)

the Second Protocol, signed on 19 December 1988, herein-
after referred to as ‘the Second Protocol of 1988’, conferring
on the Court of Justice of the European Communities certain
powers to interpret the Convention on the Law applicable
to Contractual Obligations.

(d) between the ninth and the tenth indents:

‘–

in Hungary:

Legfelsõbb Bíróság

–

in Malta:

Qorti ta’ l-Appell’

(e) between the eleventh and the twelfth indents:

TITLE II

‘–

in Poland:

ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FIRST PROTOCOL OF 1988

Sąd Najwyższy

Article 2

The following indents shall be inserted in Article 2(a):

(a) between the first and the second indents:

‘–

in the Czech Republic:

Naczelny Sąd Administracyjny’

(f) between the twelfth and the thirteenth indents:

‘–

in Slovenia:

Ustavno sodišče Republike Slovenije

Vrhovno sodišče Republike Slovenije

Nejvyšší soud České republiky

–

in Slovakia:

Nejvyšší správní soud’

Najvyšší súd Slovenskej republiky’.

(b) between the third and the fourth indents:

‘–

in Estonia:

Riigikohus’

(c) between the eighth and the ninth indents:

‘–

in Cyprus:

Ανώτατο Δικαστήριο

–

in Latvia:

Augstākās Tiesas Senāts

–

in Lithuania:

Lietuvos Aukščiausiasis Teismas

Lietuvos vyriausiasis administracinis teismas’

TITLE III

FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 3

1.
The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union
shall transmit a certified copy of the Convention of 1980, the
Convention of 1984, the First Protocol of 1988, the Second Pro-
tocol of 1988, the Convention of 1992 and the Convention of
1996 in the Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German,
Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish languages
to the Governments of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Esto-
nia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic
of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the
Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak
Republic.

2.
The texts of the Convention of 1980, the Convention of
1984, the First Protocol of 1988, the Second Protocol of 1988,
the Convention of 1992 and the Convention of 1996 in the
Czech, Estonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish,
Slovakian and Slovenian languages shall be authentic under the
same conditions as the other texts of the Convention of 1980, the
Convention of 1984, the First Protocol of 1988, the Second Pro-
tocol of 1988, the Convention of 1992 and the Convention of
1996.

8.7.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 169/3

Article 4

Article 6

This Convention shall be ratified by the signatory States. The
instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-
General of the Council of the European Union.

Article 5

1.
This Convention shall enter into force between the States
which have ratified it, on the first day of the third month follow-
ing the deposit of the second instrument of ratification.

2.
Thereafter, this Convention shall enter into force, for each
signatory State which subsequently ratifies it, on the first day of
the third month following the deposit of its instrument of
ratification.

The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union shall
notify the signatory States of:

(a)

the deposit of each instrument of ratification;

(b)

the dates of entry into force of this Convention for the Con-
tracting States.

Article 7

This Convention, drawn up in a single original in the Czech, Dan-
ish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek,
Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Por-
tuguese, Slovakian, Slovene, Spanish and Swedish languages, all
21 texts being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives
of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European
Union. The Secretary-General shall transmit a certified copy to the
Government of each signatory state.

C 169/4

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.7.2005

Hecho en Luxemburgo, el catorce de abril de dos mil cinco.

V Lucemburku dne čtrnáctého dubna dva tisíce pět.

Udfærdiget i Luxembourg den fjortende april to tusind og fem.

Geschehen zu Luxemburg am vierzehnten April zweitausendfünf.

Kahe tuhande viienda aasta aprillikuu neljateistkümnendal päeval Luxembourgis.

Έγινε στο Λουξεμβούργο, στις δέκα τέσσερις Απριλίου δύο χιλιάδες πέντε.

Done at Luxembourg on the fourteenth day of April in the year two thousand and five.

Fait à Luxembourg, le quatorze avril deux mille cinq.

Arna déanamh i Lucsamburg, an ceathrú lá déag d’Aibreán sa bhliain dhá mhíle is a cúig.

Fatto a Lussemburgo, addì quattordici aprile duemilacinque.

Luksemburgā, divi tūkstoši piektā gada četrpadsmitajā aprīlī.

Priimta du tūkstančiai penktų metų balandžio keturioliktą dieną Liuksemburge.

Kelt Luxembourgban, a kettőezer-ötödik év április tizennegyedik napján.

Magħmul fil-Lussemburgu, fl-erbatax-il jum ta’ April tas-sena elfejn u ħamsa.

Gedaan te Luxemburg, de veertiende april tweeduizend vijf.

Sporządzono w Luksemburgu dnia czternastego kwietnia roku dwa tysiące piątego.

Feito no Luxemburgo, em catorze de Abril de dois mil e cinco.

V Luxembourgu, štirinajstega aprila leta dva tisoč pet.

V Luxemburgu dňa štrnásteho apríla dvetisícpäť.

Tehty Luxemburgissa neljäntenätoista päivänä huhtikuuta vuonna kaksituhattaviisi.

Som skedde i Luxemburg den fjortonde april tjugohundrafem.

8.7.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 169/5

Pour le gouvernement du Royaume de Belgique
Voor de regering van het Koninkrijk België
Für die Regierung des Königreichs Belgien

Za vládu České republiky

For regeringen for Kongeriget Danmark

Für die Regierung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Eesti Vabariigi valitsuse nimel

Για την κυβέρνηση της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας

C 169/6

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.7.2005

Por el Gobierno del Reino de España

Pour le gouvernement de la République française

Thar ceann Rialtas na hÉireann
For the Government of Ireland

Per il governo della Repubblica italiana

Για την κυβέρνηση της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας

Latvijas Republikas valdības vārdā

Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybès vardu

8.7.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 169/7

Pour le gouvernement du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg

A Magyar Köztársaság kormánya részéről

Għall-Gvern tar-Repubblika ta’ Malta

Voor de regering van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

Für die Regierung der Republik Österreich

W imieniu Rządu Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej

Pelo Governo da República Portuguesa

C 169/8

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

8.7.2005

Za vlado Republike Slovenije

Za vládu Slovenskej republiky

Suomen hallituksen puolesta
På finska regeringens vägnar

På svenska regeringens vägnar

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

8.7.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 169/9

Joint declaration by the High Contracting Parties concerning the deadlines set for ratification of the
Accession Convention

‘The High Contracting Parties, meeting in the Council at the time of the signature of the Convention on the
accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the
Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of
Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the 1980 Rome Convention on the law applicable to contractual obliga-
tions, declare that they will take the necessary steps to ratify this Convention within a reasonable time and, if
possible, before December 2005.’

Declaration by the Member States concerning the timing of the submission of a proposal for a
Regulation on the law applicable to contractual obligations

‘The Member States request that the Commission submit, as soon as possible and at the latest by the end of
2005, a proposal for a Regulation on the law applicable to contractual obligations.’

Joint Declaration by the Member States on the exchange of information

The Governments of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Federal
Republic of Germany, the Republic of Estonia, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the French Repub-
lic, Ireland, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Kingdom of the Nether-
lands, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Slovenia, the
Slovak Republic, the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Sweden and the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland,

On signing the 2005 Convention on accession to the Convention on the law applicable to contractual obli-
gations, opened for signature in Rome on 19 June 1980, and to the First and Second Protocols on interpre-
tation by the Court of Justice of the European Communities, as amended,

Desiring to ensure that the provisions of the First Protocol are applied as effectively and as uniformly as
possible,

Declare themselves ready to organise, 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 pur-
suant 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) of the First Protocol and significant judgments handed down by
the courts referred to in Article 2(b) of that Protocol,

— 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 par-
ticular 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.