Vocabulary notes

legal system – правовая система

domestic legal system – внутренняя правовая система

public international law – международное публичное право

private international law – международное частное право

contract law – договорное (контрактное) право

liability law –

product liability – качество товара

to enact laws, to enforce laws – вводить (устанавливать) законы

enforcement of judgments – исполнять решения суда

rights and obligation – права и обязанности

property rights – имущественные права, права собственности

jurisdiction – юрисдикция

redress of grievances – возмещение

to hear the case – слушать дело

recognized entities (in international society) – выдающиеся члены (международного сообщества)

individual or legal entity – физическое или юридическое лицо

awarding state contracts – распределение государственных контрактов

investment attractiveness – инвестиционная привлекательность

to govern relations – регулировать отношения

to be bound by – брать на себя обязательства выполнять что-либо

internal law – внутреннее право

collection of laws – свод законов

to sign a treaty – подписывать соглашение

Comprehension and Discussion Questions

1. Why is the country’s legal system of immense importance to international business?

2. What two categories is international law often divided into?

3. What does public international law govern?

4. Is it possible for countries (on governmental level) to participate in private-law relationship?

5. How is sometimes private international law defined?

6. What is the main difference between public international law and private international law?

7. What three main areas does the field of conflict of laws consist of?

8. What is private international law usually affected by?

Ex. 1. You know that Ukraine has become a member of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, which is one of the “direct rules” of private international law and is a component of the legal systems of the countries that are party to it.

Read the abstract concerning the purchase contract and express your opinion whether the Convention is always given priority over any other laws and regulations of the countries-member to this Convention:

Abstract

According to Article 1 of the Convention, it applies in the following cases:

“…to contract of sale of goods between parties whose places of business are in different States when the states are Contracting States [i.e. parties to the Convention]”.

“… в контрактах на продаж товаров, что составляют стороны, которые разместили свои предприятия в странах-учасниках [т.е. странах-учасниках конвенции]”.

Check yourself:

The Convention takes precedence over other internal legal precepts. This means that if a business in Ukraine signs a purchase contract with a business in Austria, then the Convention is used for coverage of their relationship, and not for example of the commercial codes of Ukraine and Austria. However, the parties to the contract have the possibility of explicitly excluding use of the Convention in an agreement on the decisive legal system.