European e-Justice Portal - Which country's law applies?

Which country's law applies?

When you are involved in litigation in a case where not all the facts of the case are connected with the same country, there is a need to establish the law which will be applied by the court in making a decision on the substance of the matter.

As international trade and travel expand, so too does the risk that a company or an individual might be involved in a dispute having an international element. The international element could be because the parties are of different nationality or that they reside in different countries or that they have entered into a contract concerning a transaction taking place abroad.

In the event of a dispute, it is not enough to determine which court has international jurisdiction to hear and determine the case; it also has to be established which law will be applicable to determine the substance of the matter.

Please select the relevant country's flag to obtain detailed national information.

Last update: 03/04/2024

This page is maintained by the European Commission. The information on this page does not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Commission. The Commission accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to any information or data contained or referred to in this document. Please refer to the legal notice with regard to copyright rules for European pages.