Cover -- Acknowledgements -- Table of Contents -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- Part 1: Freedom of choice of law under the Rome I Regulation on the Law Applicable to contractual obligations -- A. The Rome Convention and the Rome I Regulation -- B. The Applicable Law and Freedom of Choice under the Rome I Regulation -- I. Principle of Party Autonomy under Article 3 Rome I Regulation -- 1. The choice made by the parties -- a. Has the choice been lawfully and effectively made? -- b. Was there an agreement on choice of law? -- aa) The general rule under the Regulation -- bb) The exception -- c. The problem of silent consent -- 2. The way in which the choice may be made -- a. Express choice of law -- b. Inferred choice of law -- aa) Clearly demonstrated by the terms of the contract -- bb) Choice of a particular forum or of a particular place of arbitration -- cc) Use of standard form governed by a particular system of law -- dd) Other circumstances of the case -- 3. Splitting the law applicable to contracts -- 4. Changing the applicable law -- 5. The scope of the applicable law -- II. Restrictions on Party Autonomy -- 1. The chosen law -- 2. The effect of mandatory laws on the autonomy of the parties -- 3. Public policy -- C. Summary -- Part 2: Freedom of choice of law under the Rome II Regulation on the law applicable to non-contractual obligations -- A. Overview of the Rome II Regulation -- I. Before Rome II -- II. The path to Rome II -- III. Justifying party autonomy in the conflict of laws -- 1. General justification of party autonomy in the conflict of laws -- 2. Specific justification of party autonomy in non-contractual obligations -- a. Theoretical analysis of party autonomy in non-contractual obligations -- aa) Economic rationale -- bb) Interest analysis -- b. Application to Article 14 Rome II -- aa) Respect for the parties' interests.

bb) Protection of weaker parties and the rights of third parties -- B. The Applicable Law and Freedom of Choice under the Rome II Regulation -- I. Principle of Party Autonomy under Article 14 Rome II Regulation -- 1. The timing of the choice made by the parties (Article 14(1) Rome II) -- a. Ex post agreement (Article 14(1)(a) Rome II) -- b. Ex ante agreement (Article 14(1)(b)) -- aa) Pursuing a commercial activity -- bb) Freely negotiated -- i. Scope -- ii. Construction -- iii. Accessory connection of Article 3 Rome I -- 2. The way in which the choice may be made (Article 14(1) second sentence) -- a. Express choice of law -- b. Inferred choice of law -- aa) Demonstrated with reasonable certainty by the circumstances of the case -- bb) Tacit choice of law in proceedings -- II. Other restrictions on Party Autonomy -- 1. The chosen law -- 2. Mandatory provisions -- a. All relevant elements in a single country (Article 14(2)) -- b. All relevant elements in Member States (Article 14(3)) -- c. Overriding mandatory provisions (Article 16) and public policy (Article 26) -- C. Summary -- Part 3: Rome I and Rome II and the Procedural Treatment and Application of Foreign Law -- A. Choice of foreign law -- I. The introduction of the chosen foreign law in court -- II. The significance of the lex fori -- 1. Whether the parties are permitted to choose a law -- 2. Issues of interpretation -- 3. Whether or to what extent mandatory laws are applicable -- 4. Whether or to what extent the public policy of the forum will affect the choice made by the parties be imposed (Article 21 Rome I -- Article 26 Rome II) -- B. Introduction and ascertainment of foreign law in national courts -- I. Germany -- 1. General -- 2. Failure to plead or prove the content of foreign law -- 3. Foreign law chosen in accordance with Rome I or Rome II -- II. England -- 1. General.

2. Failure to plead or prove the content of foreign law -- 3. Foreign law chosen in accordance with Rome I or Rome II -- III. Analysis -- C. Summary -- Part 4: Party Autonomy in the Common Law: A Cross-National Comparison with the Rome I and Rome II Regulations -- A. Party autonomy in contractual obligations -- I. The English doctrine of the proper law -- 1. Express choice of law -- 2. Implied choice of law -- 3. Closest and most real connection -- 4. Analysis -- II. Reception and development of the English common law approach -- 1. Australia -- 2. New Zealand -- 3. Canada -- 4. Singapore -- III. Rome I and party autonomy - lessons for the common law? -- B. Party autonomy in non-contractual obligations -- I. Common law choice of law in non-contractual obligations -- 1. The general double actionability rule -- 2. The exception -- II. Reception and application of the common law rule -- 1. Australia -- a. Adoption of the common law rule -- b. Judicial reform -- 2. New Zealand -- 3. Canada -- 4. Singapore -- a. Adoption of the common law rule -- b. Legislative reform efforts -- c. Judicial development of the common law rule -- III. The role of party autonomy in common law tort choice of law -- 1. Ad hoc or post hoc choice of law agreement -- 2. Application of the lex contractus -- 3. Use of the flexible exception -- 4. De facto choice of law -- IV. Rome II and party autonomy - lessons for the common law? -- Part 5: Conclusions -- Bibliography -- Appendix 1 -- Appendix 2.