Governing Law Clause

O que é

A governing law clause selects the substantive law that applies to the contract, for example Dutch law. It is distinct from the jurisdiction or forum clause, which decides which court or tribunal hears disputes. In the EU, party choice of law is broadly upheld under the Rome I Regulation.

Porque é importante

Different legal systems treat the same wording differently, so the chosen law shapes rights, remedies and limitation periods. A clear choice avoids costly conflict-of-laws arguments and gives both sides predictability.

Como aplicar

• Choose a single governing law and state it explicitly and unambiguously.
• Pair it with a matching jurisdiction or arbitration clause.
• Exclude the UN Sale of Goods Convention (CISG) where you do not want it to apply.
• Check whether mandatory rules of another country still apply despite the choice.

Exemplo de redação

This Agreement and any non-contractual obligations arising out of it are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Netherlands, excluding the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.

Dicas de negociação

• • Prefer a neutral or your own home law for predictability and lower advice costs.
• • Keep governing law and forum consistent to avoid procedural complexity.

Erros frequentes

• • Choosing a governing law but a mismatched forum, inviting jurisdictional disputes.
• • Forgetting that mandatory consumer or competition rules may override the choice.

Referências jurídicas

• Rome I Art. 3 Rome I Regulation: choice of law Direito da UE
• BW 6:248 Reasonableness and fairness Direito neerlandês

Salvo indicação em contrário, as referências remetem para o direito neerlandês (Burgerlijk Wetboek, o Código Civil neerlandês); os instrumentos da UE, como o RGPD, aplicam-se em toda a UE. Esta é informação geral, não constitui aconselhamento jurídico. Outras jurisdições tratam estes conceitos de forma diferente. Verifique o texto em vigor e a sua situação com um advogado qualificado.