On 19 June 1980, in Rome, the European Communities states sign the Convention on the Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations — the Rome Convention on conflict of laws in contracts.

The text sets freedom of choice of law (Art. 3) and, absent choice, the law of the country with which the contract is most closely connected (Art. 4). It protects consumers and employees against evasion of mandatory rules.

Entry into force: 1 April 1991. It was replaced, for most EU states, by the Rome I Regulation (593/2008); it remains relevant for Denmark and some overseas territories.

The Convention unifies conflict rules, not the substantive law of contracts. The depositary was the Director-General of the Council of the European Communities.

For European private international law, 19 June 1980 marks the first common instrument on the law applicable to contracts.

The official text appears in the Official Journal and on EUR-Lex.

The Rome Convention of 19 June 1980 remains the precursor of the Rome I Regulation on the law applicable to contracts.

Image: Rome; Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: Convention on the Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations 1980. Treaty text: Convention on the law applicable to contractual obligations (EUR-Lex).