Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- ABBREVIATIONS -- INTRODUCTION: TOWARDS A RESTATEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN LAW OF OBLIGATIONS -- I THE EUROPEANIZATION OF PRIVATE LAW AND LEGAL SCHOLARSHIP -- II THE COMMISSION ON EUROPEAN CONTRACT LAW -- 1 First commission -- 2 Second and third commissions -- III OBJECTIVES OF THE PRINCIPLES OF EUROPEAN CONTRACT LAW -- IV THE IDEA OF CODIFICATION TODAY -- V OTHER PROJECTS -- 1 CONTOURS OF A EUROPEAN LAW OF SET-OFF -- I SIX PRELIMINARY POINTS -- II PROCEDURAL OR SUBSTANTIVE NATURE OF SET-OFF? -- 1 A civil law/common law divide? -- 2 The civilian experience -- 3 The English experience -- 4 Evaluation -- III SET-OFF IPSO IURE OR BY DECLARATION? -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Extrajudicial declaration or defence to be pleaded in court? -- 3 Retroactivity or ex nunc effect? -- 4 Insolvency set-off -- IV THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SET-OFF -- 1 Mutuality -- 2 Obligations of the same kind -- 3 Cross-claim due, party declaring set-off may perform -- 4 Liquidity -- V SITUATIONS WHERE SET-OFF IS EXCLUDED -- VI MISCELLANEOUS PROBLEMS -- VII SUMMARY -- 2 LIBERATIVE PRESCRIPTION I: THE CORE REGIME -- I POLICY CONSIDERATIONS -- II LEGAL LITERATURE AND LAW REFORM -- III PRESCRIPTION OF CLAIMS AND LIMITATION OF ACTIONS -- IV STRIKING THE BALANCE -- 1 Principal components of a prescription regime -- 2 Balancing the interests -- V THE ARGUMENT FOR UNIFORMITY -- 1 Public policy -- 2 Criteria for differentiation? -- VI THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAW OF LIBERATIVE PRESCRIPTION: INTERNATIONAL TRENDS -- 1 Shorter prescription periods -- 2 Uniform prescription periods -- 3 The discoverability criterion -- VII THE CORE REGIME -- VIII THE LONG-STOP PERIOD -- IX IMPLEMENTING THE CORE REGIME -- 1 Commencement of prescription -- 2 Maximum period of extension of prescription -- 3 Claims for damages.

3 LIBERATIVE PRESCRIPTION II: ADDITIONAL ISSUES -- I PRESCRIPTION OF A CLAIM ESTABLISHED BY LEGAL PROCEEDINGS -- II THE EFFECT OF JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS ON THE PERIOD OF PRESCRIPTION -- 1 The options -- 2 Interruption of prescription -- 3 Suspension of prescription -- III RENEWAL OF PRESCRIPTION -- 1 Terminology I -- 2 Acts of execution -- 3 Acknowledgement -- IV SUSPENSION IN CASES OF AN IMPEDIMENT BEYOND THE CREDITOR'S CONTROL -- V EXTENSION IN CASES OF INCAPACITY -- 1 The basic options -- 2 Details of implementation -- 3 Terminology II -- VI CLOSE PERSONAL TIES AS GROUNDS FOR EXTENSION? -- VII PRESCRIPTION OF CLAIMS BY OR AGAINST AN ESTATE -- VIII EXTENSION AS A RESULT OF NEGOTIATIONS -- IX FRAUS OMNIA CORRUMPIT? -- X SOME DETAILS CONCERNING EXTENSION AND COMMENCEMENT -- 1 Range of application of maximum period for suspension -- 2 What must the debtor's ignorance relate to? -- 3 Suspension of prescription 'on legal grounds'? -- 4 Duties to refrain from doing something -- 5 Claims concerning payments for services rendered and goods delivered -- 6 Presentation of an invoice -- 7 Notice of termination -- XI EFFECTS OF PRESCRIPTION -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Waiver -- 3 'Verwirkung' -- 4 Ancillary claims -- 5 Real securities -- 6 Set-off -- 7 Defences -- XII AGREEMENTS CONCERNING PRESCRIPTION -- 1 Agreements rendering prescription more difficult -- 2 Restrictions -- 3 Agreements facilitating prescription -- XIII SUMMARY -- INDEX.