Mercosur and Tacit Choice of Law in International Commercial Contracts: A Comparative Study of Private International Law of Contract in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2522-3062/16245Keywords:
international commercial contracts, Mercosur, party autonomy, private international law, South America, tacit choice of lawAbstract
The Southern Common Market (Mercosur) is a regional political and economic bloc comprising certain South American countries. The main objectives of Mercosur include sustainable development, harmonising legislation in relevant areas to strengthen the integration process, identifying investment opportunities, and promoting the growth of domestic and regional markets. As such, there is a need for clear rules and principles of private international law within the Mercosur Member States. Certainty regarding private international law rules will contribute to sustainable development and strengthening economic growth in the Mercosur region. This article examines the rules and principles of choice of law, which is paramount in international commercial contracts. More specifically, the article focuses on the issues related to determining the existence of a tacit choice of law in international commercial contracts in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. For each country, the article analyses the level of strictness of the criteria for inferring a tacit choice of law, the indicators that have been relied upon, and the weight that has been attached to these factors.
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Cases
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Legislation
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English versions of foreign-language texts
Mercosur
Treaty of Asunción
<https://www.worldtradelaw.net/document.php?id=fta/agreements/mercosurfta.pdf>
Social and Labor Declaration of the Mercosur (2015)
<https://www.mercosur.int/documento/mercosur-social-and-labour-declaration>
Argentina
Civil and Commercial Code of Argentina
Del Rosal Carmona RC, ‘English Translation of the Civil and Commercial Code of Argentina’ in J Basedow, G Rühl, F Ferrari and P de Miguel Asensio (eds), Encyclopedia of Private International Law (Edward Elgar 2017).
Brazil
1988 Brazilian Constitution
Organization of American States <https://www.oas.org/es/sla/ddi/docs/acceso_informacion_base_dc_leyes_pais_b_1_en.pdf>
Paraguay
Paraguayan Law of 2015
Moreno Rodríguez JA, ‘English translation of the Paraguayan Law of 2015’ in J Basedow, G Rühl, F Ferrari and P de Miguel Asensio (eds), Encyclopedia of Private International Law (Edward Elgar 2017).
Uruguay
UGAPIL
De Aguirre CF, ‘Uruguay’ in D Girsberger, T Kadner Graziano and JL Neels (eds), Choice of Law in International Commercial Contracts – Global Perspectives on the Hague Principles (Oxford University Press 2021).
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