An Economic Analysis of Harmonization Regimes: Full Harmonization, Minimum Harmonization or Optional Instrument?
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Fernando Gomez
and
Juan Jose Ganuza
Abstract
At the current stage in the process of building a European Contract Law, the harmonization dimension – the scope and reach of the harmonizing effect of the European rules – appears as a crucial issue. We show how the harmonization strategy is as important a question as whether we should have European Contract Law at all. We present in informal terms a simple economic model of how to build optimal harmonized rules and standards in a setting of pre-existing separate and diverse national ones, and we systematically explore how the different harmonization regimes (maximum harmonization, minimum harmonization, and pure co-existence of harmonized and national standards) affect the outcomes of the harmonization process.
Résumé
À la phase actuelle du processus de construction d'un droit européen des contrats, la dimension de l'harmonisation – l'étendue et la portée de l'harmonisation des règles européennes – apparaît comme une question cruciale. Nous montrons comment la stratégie d'harmonisation est une question aussi importante que celle de savoir si nous devrions avoir un droit européen des contrats. Nous présentons en termes informels un modèle économique simple sur la façon de bâtir des règles harmonisées optimales et des standards dans un cadre de droits nationaux séparés et divers, et nous explorons systématiquement comment les différents régimes d'harmonisation (harmonisation maximale, harmonisation minimale, et pure coexistence de standards harmonisés et nationaux) affectent les résultats du processus d'harmonisation.
Zusammenfassung
Im derzeitigen Stadium einer Europäischen Vertragsrechtsentwicklung erscheint die Frage nach Harmonisierung – ihrem Ziel und ihrer Reichweite – geradezu als eine Schicksalsfrage. Der vorliegende Beitrag zeigt, dass die Frage danach, ob Harmonisierung der sinnvollste Weg ist, nicht weniger wichtig als diejenige, ob wir überhaupt ein Europäisches Vertragsrecht haben sollten. Vorgestellt wird in einfachen, nicht formalisierten Überlegungen ein ökonomisches Modell dazu, wie harmonisierte Regeln und Standards bestmöglich zu konzipieren sind, wenn bereits ein System nationaler Rechte existiert. Zugleich wird systematisch untersucht, wie verschiedene “Harmonisierungsansätze” (Vollharmonisierung, Mindestharmonisierung, und schlichte Co-Existenz vereinheitlichter und nationaler Regeln) das Ergebnis des Harmonisierungsprozesses beeinflussen.
Articles in the same Issue
- A Competitive Approach to EU Contract Law
- Choice, Certainty and Diversity: Why More is Less
- The Commission's 2010 Green Paper on European Contract Law: Reflections on Union Competence in Light of the Proposed Options
- European Contract Law Reform and European Consumer Law – Two Related But Distinct Regimes
- A European Civil Law – for Whom and What Should it Include? Reflections on the Scope of Application of a Future European Legal Instrument
- Is the DCFR ready to be adopted as an Optional Instrument?
- The Common Frame of Reference and the Relationship between National Law and European Law
- ‘Good-Bye Harmonisation by Directives, Hello Cross-Border only Regulation?’ – A way forward for EU Consumer Contract Law
- Policy Choices in European Consumer law: Regulation through ‘Targeted Differentiation’
- An Economic Analysis of Harmonization Regimes: Full Harmonization, Minimum Harmonization or Optional Instrument?
- Five political ideas of European contract law
- Green Paper on Policy Options for Progress Towards a European Contract Law for Consumers and Businesses What do we want?
- ‘Choice is good.’ Really?
- An Optional Instrument and Social dumping revisited
- Towards a European Contract Law through Social Dialogue
- General Conclusions
Articles in the same Issue
- A Competitive Approach to EU Contract Law
- Choice, Certainty and Diversity: Why More is Less
- The Commission's 2010 Green Paper on European Contract Law: Reflections on Union Competence in Light of the Proposed Options
- European Contract Law Reform and European Consumer Law – Two Related But Distinct Regimes
- A European Civil Law – for Whom and What Should it Include? Reflections on the Scope of Application of a Future European Legal Instrument
- Is the DCFR ready to be adopted as an Optional Instrument?
- The Common Frame of Reference and the Relationship between National Law and European Law
- ‘Good-Bye Harmonisation by Directives, Hello Cross-Border only Regulation?’ – A way forward for EU Consumer Contract Law
- Policy Choices in European Consumer law: Regulation through ‘Targeted Differentiation’
- An Economic Analysis of Harmonization Regimes: Full Harmonization, Minimum Harmonization or Optional Instrument?
- Five political ideas of European contract law
- Green Paper on Policy Options for Progress Towards a European Contract Law for Consumers and Businesses What do we want?
- ‘Choice is good.’ Really?
- An Optional Instrument and Social dumping revisited
- Towards a European Contract Law through Social Dialogue
- General Conclusions
