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2020 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

The Netherlands: Optional Choice of Court Agreements in a Globalizing World

Author : Stephan F. G. Rammeloo

Published in: Optional Choice of Court Agreements in Private International Law

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

Choice of court agreements are well-established in the Private International Law of the Netherlands on the basis of the Hague 2005 Convention on Choice of Court Agreements, EU Regulation 44/2001, and national jurisprudence of the Netherlands Supreme Court. In respect of private interregional law of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Caribbean Civil Procedural Law Act applies to “Caribbean-Dutch” choice of court cases. Pursuant to article 8 subsection 2 of the Dutch Civil Procedural Law Code codifying case law of the Highest Court of the Netherlands, an exclusive choice for a foreign court excludes jurisdiction power of a Dutch court. If, however, any such choice is of a non-exclusive nature the Dutch court remains competent (article 8 subsection 2). Though serving as a starting point, article 8 does not and cannot provide for conclusive answers to each and every question (interpretation, legal effects, damages in case of breach of the agreement) emanating from choice of court related conflicts.

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previous chapter Japan: Quests for Equilibrium and Certainty

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For detailed treatment of (optional) choice of court agreements, cf Kuijpers (2008).

HR February 1, 1985, NJ 1985, 698 (Piscator).

For example family law matters being excluded therefrom.

More specifically, the parties may have a genuine interest because of the neutrality or expertise in view of the conflict or of the lex fori, diminishing forum shopping options. Cf, with further details, Strikwerda (2015a), p. 46, with references to case law, and p. 85.

In the following to be referred to as “Brussels I bis”.

For an overview on the actual status of ratifications, signatures, etc. of this Convention, cf https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/specialised-sections/choice-of-court.

This may become even more relevant pursuant to Brexit.

Regional Economic International Organisation.

A choice of court agreement is required to be “(a) in writing or evidenced in writing, (b) in a form which accords with practices which the parties have established between themselves; or (c) in international trade or commerce, in a form which accords with a usage of which the parties are or ought to have been aware and which in such trade or commerce is widely known to, and regularly observed by, parties to contracts of the type involved in the particular trade or commerce concerned.”

Cf Strikwerda (2015a), p. 86, with further reference.

Idem, with referral to the Explanatory Memorandum to article 8 of the Dutch Civil Procedural Law Code, and p. 110. In the same sense the Preamble to article 25 of the Recast, Observ. 20. Although choice of court agreements are explicitly excluded from the scope of Regulation 593/2008 (art.1(2)(e)), Netherlands private international law tends to apply the Regulation to this issue by way of analogy.

The legislator thus sought parallels with arbitration on one hand and the Recast regime on the other, cf Strikwerda (2015a), p. 86.

HR November 9, 2012, NJ 2012, 638.

Cf Kuijpers (2008), p. 252 et seq. Recent case law, cf District Court Amsterdam July 20, 2016, NiPR 2016, 443 (engagement letter: no exclusive agreement court of choice in the Netherlands).

Cf the opinion of Advocate-General Vranken preceding HR December 17, 1993, NJ 1994, 350 (Esmil/PGSP), underscoring that the word ‘exclusive’ can be decisive. In line with this approach any choice of court which is ‘not exclusive’ does not derogate from another court’s jurisdiction, cf District Court Dordrecht August 20, 1993, KG 1993, 327.

Cf Kuijpers (2008), par. 10.3.4, with further reference to case law.

HR March 13, 1981, NJ 1981, 635 (Haviltex).

Cf Strikwerda (2015a), p. 85; Kuijpers (2008), p. 252, both with further reference.

Cf Strikwerda (2015b), p. 292, with further reference.

Cf what has been observed above already.

It must be recalled here that Netherlands legislator yet seeks to establish harmony between Communautary, international and national law relevant with regard to the contractual choice of court.

To be recalled briefly: there are some differences as regards the “writing” aspect (formal validity) but also of the additional requirement set by the Supreme Court in its “Piscator” judgment, namely that parties agreeing on choice of court in the Netherlands are presupposed to have a genuine interest of a Netherlands Court adjudicating their conflict, this element not being a prerequisite under the Recast or the 2005 Hague Convention on choice of courts.

Cf what has been said on the parties’ intentions being decisive for the conclusion whether or not the choice of court agreement must be held exclusive or non-exclusive.

Under the exception of contracts relating to employment relationships (article 8 subsection 3).

For procedural law related damages, understandably the assumption is that the lex fori applies, Kuijpers (2008), p. 264.

Kuijpers (2008), p. 264. In a Dutch court the proper law of the contract would follow from applying EU Regulation 593/2008 (“Rome I”).

Lewin (2016), par. 3.6.2 and 3.6.3. Cf with a view to jurisdiction in Netherlands Interregional Private Law general Dutch Supreme Court May 2, 2014, (ECLI:NL:HR:2014:1063. Cf further Lock (2011), p. 31).

Lewin quotes case law, p. 94. GEA Curacao January 15, 2009, concerning a case in which the court held itself not competent to adjudicate a conflict on the basis of a choice of court designating the Curacao court, the conflict between an employer and his employee, as the latter was residing and carrying out employment in the European territory in the Netherlands.

Cf Sects. 2.1 and 2.2 above.

Cf in particular ECJ jurisprudence, notably its judgment from June 24, 1986 C-22/85 (Anterist/Crédit Lyonnais), Rec 1986, 1951.

Kuijpers (2008), p. 354, speaks of “zeer grote contracteervrijheid” (contracting parties are endowed with far reaching party autonomy), this freedom inter alia allowing for (i) designating the courts of more than just one legal order; (ii) dépeçage (i.e. splitting the choice of court, depending on e.g. the dispute or part of the legal relationship involved); (iii) choice of court leaving that choice to one of the parties only.

Cf Kuijpers (2008), p. 18, with referral to choice of forum clauses contained in the articles of association of companies or trusts.

Kuijpers does refer to costs in Section 10.5.3 extensively, and further, on the occasion, in respect of e.g. court fees, p. 51; travelling and stay expenses of lawyers, p. 59; the weighing of (additional) costs in relation to the claim, p. 60; showing as defendant without contesting the court’s competence, p. 223; procedural costs to be distinguished from civil claims resulting from a breach of choice of court agreement, pp. 242 and 243; the procedural costs in a strict sense (article 237 of the Dutch Civil Code on procedural law), to be paid according to certain standards (barema’s), p. 265, and to be distinguished from other expenses (“buitengerechtelijke kosten”, article 6:96 subsection 2 of the Dutch Civil Code) to be lodged in the court chosen, p. 263 and, as a consequence of its contractual nature, to be paid in full, p. 264; claims for breaking a choice of court agreement however to be lodged in in the forum derogatum, p. 263.

Kuijpers PHL (2008) Forumkeuze in het Nederlandse Internationaal Privaatrecht. Dissertation, Leiden University

Lewin GCC (2016) Interregionaal privaatrecht. MAKLU, Antwerp

Lock FPJ (2011) Burgerlijk procesrecht in de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba. Tijdschrift voor Civiele Rechtspleging 1:31–40

Strikwerda L (2015a) De overeenkomst in het IPR, 4th edn. MAKLU, Antwerp

Strikwerda L (2015b) Inleiding tot het Nederlandse Internationaal privaatrecht. Wolters-Kluwer, Deventer

Title: The Netherlands: Optional Choice of Court Agreements in a Globalizing World
Author: Stephan F. G. Rammeloo
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Book: Optional Choice of Court Agreements in Private International Law
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-23913-8

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-030-23914-5

Copyright Year: 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23914-5_12