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This thesis analyses three issues raised by the application of the general principles of law to commercial arbitration. First, it is essential to assess the core and the substance of the general principles of law. Our first hypothesis purports that the UPICC reduces considerably the uncertainty of the general principles of law in international trade. Secondly, an analysis of the nature of the UPICC is needed, in order to determine whether they have the essential features of a transnational norm and can thus escape the application of national legal norms. We will thus analyse the existing mechanisms to assure the autonomy, of PUCCI, from national law. Thirdly, we will analyse the legitimacy of the UPICC. In doing so, we shall refer to the concept of reflexive legimitacy, a legitimacy obtained through the consensus of the merchant community. This reflexive legitimacy over the UPICC is generally admitted. Two rules within the UPICC, however, raise doubts and concerns over their acceptability in the merchants' community: the hardship and the gross disparity provisions. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Both the civil and the common law legal systems have, as a result of their historical development, elaborated different conceptions of the law of agency. Given the existing divergence in approaches and rules relating to agency, the international unification of law in this field, although highly demanded by commercial practice, seems a problematic, but not impossible, task. The decades long efforts of a large number of states, international organisations and individuals to provide uniform rules of international agency law have resulted in the adoption of two conventions, namely, the Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Agency (1978) aimed at the unification of the conflict rules of agency, and the UNIDROIT Convention on Agency in the International Sale of Goods (1983) which attempts to provide uniform material rules. / This thesis provides a detailed analysis of the uniform rules set out in both agency Conventions. The main purpose of this analysis is to assess the extent to which uniformity is achieved by these Conventions. However, in order to reveal the divergence of approaches between the civil and common law legal systems and define the "conflict areas" of international agency, the present study also contains a comparative survey of material and conflict rules of agency existing in the two systems.

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LL.M. (International Commercial Law) / The principle of party autonomy is a fundamental characteristic of private international law. The contracting parties’ freedom of choice regarding the law governing their contract is one which optimises the fundamental principle of party autonomy. It is generally accepted that a choice of a governing law by the parties should be respected by adjudicating bodies such as domestic courts and arbitral tribunals. It would often benefit contracting parties to choose a neutral legal system so that there will be a “fair playing field” in case a dispute arises between them. However, some domestic legal systems and regional, supranational and international commercial instruments limit the choice of law to that of a recognised domestic legal system. Accordingly, choosing the UNIDROIT Principles on International Commercial Contracts as governing law will, in most cases, not be a viable option for the parties concerned. Such a limitation on the choice of a governing law does not promote the fundamental principle of party autonomy, which is characteristic of private international law. Parties to an international commercial contract should be able to choose a non-state system of law to govern their contract. The UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts provide a comprehensive, complete and easily obtainable system of law compiled by legal experts in the various fields which form part of international commercial law. It follows a via media system of law with regards to Civil Law and Common Law legal systems. This paper will discuss the principle of party autonomy, as well as the possibility of a choice of non-state law, in particular the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts, as the law governing an international commercial contract. The choice of law will be discussed with reference to the position taken in domestic courts as well as that in international arbitration. To review the impact and success of the UNIDROIT Principles in the realm of international commercial contracting, various international commercial instruments will be discussed.

Die vorgelegte Arbeit behandelt die Haftungsbelastung des Arbeitnehmers, wenn dieser im Rahmen seiner Arbeitstätigkeit einen Dritten schädigt. Es handelt sich um eine rechtsvergleichende Betrachtung, die sich die Erstellung eines europäischen Regelungsentwurfes zum Ziel gemacht hat. Rechtsvergleichend konnte festgestellt werden, dass im europäischen Rechtsraum teils gravierende Unterschiede bei der Haftungsinanspruchnahme des Arbeitnehmers zu verzeichnen sind. Diese Unterschiede beruhen auf divergierenden Wertungen der Frage ob eine Haftungsaufteilung zwischen Arbeitgeber und Arbeitnehmer geboten ist. Von den untersuchten Argumenten für und wider einer Haftungsentlastung des Arbeitnehmers haben sich die Fürsorgepflicht des Arbeitgebers und das Betriebsrisiko als tragende Argumente für eine Haftungsverlagerung erwiesen. Es wird daher die Haftung des Arbeitnehmers nur für vorsätzliches Verhalten vorgeschlagen. Im übrigen wird das Haftungsrisiko dem Arbeitgeber zugewiesen. Für den europäischen Rechtsraum wird eine Versicherungspflicht empfohlen. Die Pflichtversicherung tritt hierbei für den entstehenden Schaden ein. Nur im Falle der Vorsatzhandlung durch den Arbeitnehmer kann diesem gegenüber Regress genommen werden. Die Versicherung wird nach diesem Modell durch den Arbeitgeber abgeschlossen. Eine Mindestversicherungssumme soll festgelegt werden. Im Einzelfall wird bei hinreichend nachgewiesener Liquidität eine Befreiung von der Versicherungspflicht ermöglicht. Die Beitragsgestaltung richtet sich nach der Gefahrgeneigtheit der im Betrieb durchgeführten Arbeiten sowie nach der Häufigkeit von Haftungsfällen, so dass das individuelle Schadensrisiko des Unternehmens berücksichtigt wird. Eine zuverlässige Kontrolle des Versicherungsabschlusses soll von staatlicher Seite aus gewährleistet werden. Eine Vereinheitlichung dieser Haftungsfrage im europäischen Rechtsraum sollte nur im Rahmen eines europäischen Zivilrechtsbuches erfolgen. Es wurden die bestehenden Harmonisierungsmöglichkeiten untersucht. Eine Privatrechtsvereinheitlichung kann nach Autorenauffassung am besten über den Weg eines Modellgesetzes umgesetzt werden. / The present dissertation deals with the liability an employee bears in case he injures a third person in course of employment. It’s a comparative study which aims to draft an outline for a unified European rule. There were apparent differences between the compared European laws regarding the topic of vicarious liability. The variations in how liability is shared between employee and employer are created by dissimilar morals and values. Of the studied arguments for or against the principle of vicarious liability have two persuaded in favour of a shared liability between the parties of employment. The first is the employers obligation to care for the welfare of his employees and the second the inherent risk of the business itself which puts an obligation on the employer to share the liability for damage done to third parties in course of employment. In detail this study suggests to keep the employee liable for intended acts only. Apart the liability is to be carried by the employer. The concept proposes further a compulsory insurance which is to be paid for by the employer. The insurance however is obliged to step in for all the damage done in course of the employment by the employee. Only in case of intention there is the right of the insurance to take regress at the employee. Part of the concept is a minimum sum to be insured. State enterprises and comparable solvent companies shall have the opportunity to apply for an exception of the requirement to insure. Insurance rate should connect to the individual risk of the business, considering the risk-level in course of the operation of the particular business and the quantity of actual damages done. A reliable control by officials is necessary to ensure that the employer cared for the insurance. A unification of the matter should only take place in a European context of a unified civil law. A study of the existing possibilities to harmonise private law in Europe led to the conclusion that the subject of vicarious liability within a new European civil code should be drawn in the shape of a model law.