International Business Law and Lex Mercatoria

Traditionally, legal problems arising in connection with international business transactions had to be solved by a national law. This view was challenged in post war scholarly writing and transnational practice.

Introduction to International Business Law: Definition, History and Scope of Application. Definition. Historical antecedents of present-day international business law. Scope of application. Conclusions. International Business Law and Conflict of Laws. Criticism regarding the traditional conflict of laws approach. Conflict of laws and national courts. Conflict of laws and arbitration tribunals. International Business Law and Substantive Law. International contracts, standard forms and general conditions. International customs and trade usages. Self-regulatory rules of professional organizations. Examples of international contracts, standard forms, general conditions, custom, usages and self-regulatory rules. Technical, professional and deontological standards and codes of conduct. General principles of law. Arbitral case law. International conventions. Recent Theories on the Sources of International Business Law. The theory of the lex mercatoria. Substantive methods. Comparative methods. National conflict rules and substantive law. Conclusions. General Conclusions. Bibliography. Keyword Index.