Cover Page
The handle http://hdl.handle.net/1887/41425 holds various files of this Leiden University dissertation
Author: Fredericks, E.A.
Title: Contractual capacity in private international law Issue Date: 2016-06-30
Contractual Capacity in Private International Law
To my beloved family
Contractual Capacity in Private International Law
PROEFSCHRIFT
ter verkrijging van
de graad van Doctor aan de Universiteit Leiden,
op gezag van Rector Magnificus prof. mr. C.J.J.M. Stolker volgens besluit van het College voor Promoties
te verdedigen op donderdag 30 juni 2016 klokke 11.15 uur
door
Eesa Allie Fredericks
geboren te Johannesburg in 1976
Promotoren: prof. dr. S.J. Schaafsma
prof. dr. J.L. Neels (University of Johannesburg, South Africa) Promotiecommissie: prof. dr. C.F. Forsyth (University of Cambridge, UK)
prof. dr. E. Koops
prof. dr. H.C.A.W. Schulze (University of South Africa, Pretoria)
Lay-out: AlphaZet prepress, Waddinxveen Printwerk: Wöhrmann Printservice
© 2016 E.A. Fredericks
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, made available or com- municated to the public, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, unless this is expressly permitted by law.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction 1
2 South Africa 7
2.1 Introduction 7
2.2 The content of relevant connecting factors in South African
private international law 7
2.2.1 Introduction 7
2.2.2 Situs 8
2.2.3 Locus domicilii 8
2.2.4 Locus contractus 9
2.2.5 Objective proper law of contract 11
2.3 The common-law authors 17
2.4 The South African courts 22
2.4.1 Introduction 22
2.4.2 Ferraz v d’Inhaca 22
2.4.3 Hulscher v Voorschotkas voor Zuid Afrika 24
2.4.4 Kent v Salmon 25
2.4.5 Powell v Powell 29
2.4.6 Guggenheim v Rosenbaum (2) 32 2.4.7 Tesoriero v Bhyjo Investments Share Block (Pty) Ltd 33
2.4.8 Summary 34
2.5 The contemporary South African authors 35
2.5.1 Forsyth 35
2.5.2 Hahlo and Kahn 37
2.5.3 Kahn 38
2.5.4 Schoeman, Roodt and Wethmar-Lemmer 38
2.5.5 Sonnekus 39
2.5.6 Van Rooyen 40
2.6 Summary 41
3 Jurisdictions without Codified Rules in Respect of Contractual Capacity in Private International Law 45
3.1 Introduction 45
3.2 Europe 45
3.2.1 United Kingdom 45
3.2.1.1 England and Wales 46
3.2.1.1.1 The courts 46
3.2.1.1.1.1 Introduction 46
3.2.1.1.1.2 Sottomayor v De Barros (1) 46
VI Table of Contents
3.2.1.1.1.3 Cooper v Cooper 47
3.2.1.1.1.4 Baindail v Baindail 49
3.2.1.1.1.5 Male v Roberts 50
3.2.1.1.1.6 Sottomayer v De Barros (2) 50 3.2.1.1.1.7 Republica De Guatemala v Nunez 51 3.2.1.1.1.8 The Bodley Head Ltd v Flegon 53 3.2.1.1.1.9 Bank of Africa, Limited v Cohen 54
3.2.1.1.1.10 Summary 57
3.2.1.1.2 The authors 57
3.2.1.1.2.1 Briggs 57
3.2.1.1.2.2 Carter 58
3.2.1.1.2.3 Clarence Smith 59
3.2.1.1.2.4 Clarkson and Hill 60
3.2.1.1.2.5 Collier 61
3.2.1.1.2.6 Dicey, Morris and Collins 62 3.2.1.1.2.7 Fawcett and Carruthers 65 3.2.1.1.2.8 Fawcett, Harris and Bridge 66
3.2.1.1.2.9 Hill and Chong 67
3.2.1.1.2.10 McClean and Beevers 67
3.2.1.1.2.11 O’Brien 69
3.2.1.1.2.12 Summary 70
3.2.1.2 Scotland 72
3.2.1.2.1 The courts 72
3.2.1.2.1.1 Introduction 72
3.2.1.2.1.2 McFeetridge v Stewarts & Lloyds Ltd 72 3.2.1.2.1.3 Obers v Paton’s Trustees 73
3.2.1.2.1.4 Summary 74
3.2.1.2.2 The authors 74
3.2.1.2.2.1 Anton and Beaumont 74 3.2.1.2.2.2 Crawford and Carruthers 75
3.2.1.2.2.3 Summary 75
3.3 Australasia 76
3.3.1 Australia 76
3.3.1.1 Introduction 76
3.3.1.2 The courts 76
3.3.1.2.1 Introduction 76
3.3.1.2.2 Gregg v Perpetual Trustee Company 76 3.3.1.2.3 Homestake Gold of Australia v Peninsula Gold Pty Ltd 77
3.3.1.2.4 Summary 79
3.3.1.3 The authors including the Australian Law Reform Commission 79 3.3.1.3.1 Davies, Bell and Brereton 79
3.3.1.3.2 Mortensen 80
3.3.1.3.3 Sychold 80
3.3.1.3.4 Sykes and Pryles 81
3.3.1.3.5 Tilbury, Davis and Opeskin 82
VII Table of Contents
3.3.1.3.6 The Australian Law Reform Commission 83
3.3.1.3.7 Summary 83
3.3.2 New Zealand 84
3.4 North America 85
3.4.1 Canada (the common-law provinces) 85
3.4.1.1 The courts 85
3.4.1.1.1 Charron v Montreal Trust Co 85
3.4.1.2 The authors 86
3.4.1.2.1 Pitel and Rafferty 86
3.4.1.2.2 Walker 87
3.4.1.2.3 Summary 88
3.4.2 United States of America 88
3.4.2.1 The courts 88
3.4.2.1.1 Introduction 88
3.4.2.1.2 Milliken v Pratt 88
3.4.2.1.3 Union Trust Company v Grosman et al 89
3.4.2.1.4 Polson v Stewart 90
3.4.2.1.5 Summary 90
3.4.2.2 Restatement (Second) 90
3.5 The Far East 96
3.5.1 India 96
3.5.1.1 Introduction 96
3.5.1.2 The courts 96
3.5.1.2.1 Early case law 96
3.5.1.2.2 TNS Firm, through one of its partners, TNS Chockalingam Chettiar v VPS Mohammad Hussain and Ors 97 3.5.1.2.3 Nachiappa Chettiar v Muthu Karuppan Chettiar 97 3.5.1.2.4 Technip Sa v Sms Holding (Pvt) Ltd & Ors 98
3.5.1.2.5 Summary 98
3.5.1.3 The authors 99
3.5.1.3.1 Agrawal and Singh 99
3.5.1.3.2 Diwan and Diwan 99
3.5.1.3.3 Summary 100
3.5.2 Malaysia 101
3.5.2.1 Introduction 101
3.5.2.2 The authors 101
3.5.2.2.1 Hickling and Wu 101
3.5.3 Singapore 102
3.5.3.1 Introduction 102
3.5.3.2 The authors 102
3.5.3.2.1 Tan 102
3.6 Africa 103
3.6.1 Ghana 103
3.6.2 Nigeria 103
3.7 Summary 104
VIII Table of Contents
4 Jurisdictions with Codified Rules in Respect of Contractual
Capacity in Private International Law 109
4.1 Introduction 109
4.2 Europe 110
4.2.1 Austria 110
4.2.2 Belarus 111
4.2.3 Belgium 112
4.2.4 Bulgaria 113
4.2.5 Czech Republic 114
4.2.6 Estonia 115
4.2.7 France 116
4.2.8 Germany 120
4.2.9 Greece 127
4.2.10 Hungary 128
4.2.11 Italy 129
4.2.12 Lithuania 130
4.2.13 the Netherlands 131
4.2.14 Portugal 133
4.2.15 Romania 134
4.2.16 Russia 135
4.2.17 Slovakia 136
4.2.18 Slovenia 137
4.2.19 Spain 137
4.2.20 Switzerland 138
4.2.21 Ukraine 140
4.3 The Middle East 141
4.3.1 Azerbaijan 141
4.3.2 Iran 141
4.3.3 Israel 142
4.3.4 Qatar 143
4.3.5 Syria 144
4.3.6 Turkey 144
4.3.7 United Arab Emirates 146
4.3.8 Uzbekistan 146
4.4 The Far East 147
4.4.1 China 147
4.4.2 Japan 149
4.4.3 Macau (China) 151
4.4.4 Mongolia 152
4.4.5 Philippines 153
4.4.6 South Korea 153
4.4.7 Taiwan 154
4.4.8 Thailand 154
4.4.9 Vietnam 155
4.5 North America 156
4.5.1 Louisiana (United States of America) 156
IX Table of Contents
4.5.2 Oregon (United States of America) 156
4.5.3 Quebec (Canada) 157
4.6 South America 158
4.6.1 Argentina 158
4.6.2 Brazil 159
4.6.3 Mexico 159
4.6.4 Puerto Rico 159
4.6.5 Uruguay 160
4.6.6 Venezuela 161
4.7 Africa 162
4.7.1 Algeria 162
4.7.2 Angola 162
4.7.3 Burkina Faso 162
4.7.4 Egypt 163
4.7.5 Mozambique 163
4.7.6 Tunisia 164
4.8 Summary 164
5 International, Supranational and Regional Instruments 177
5.1 Introduction 177
5.2 International instruments 178
5.2.1 United Nations Convention on Contracts for the
International Sale of Goods (Vienna) (1980) (CISG) 178 5.2.2 Convention sur la loi applicable aux ventes à caractère
international d’objets mobiliers corporels (The Hague) (1955) 178 5.2.3 Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to
Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (1986) 179 5.2.4 Hague Principles on Choice of Law in International
Commercial Contracts (2015) 179 5.3 Regional and supranational instruments 179 5.3.1 Rome Convention and Rome I Regulation 179
5.3.2 CIDIP Conventions 189
5.3.3 Future African instruments 190
5.4 Summary 190
6 Evaluation, Conclusions and Proposals 195
6.1 Introduction 195
6.2 An evaluation of the various legal systems that
could be applied to contractual capacity 196 6.2.1 The lex domicilii / the law of domicile 196 6.2.2 The law of habitual residence 201 6.2.3 The law of the place of business 204 6.2.4 The lex patriae / the law of nationality 205 6.2.5 The lex loci contractus / the law of the country
where the contract was concluded 209
X Table of Contents
6.2.6 The lex causae / the proper law of the contract 226 6.2.7 The lex rei sitae / the lex situs / the law of the
country where the immovable property is situated 235 6.2.8 The lex fori / the law of the forum 239
6.3 Consequences of incapacity 241
6.4 Underlying interests and the protection of both parties
in the proposal 243
6.5 Forms and application of the proposal 246
6.6 Proposal in narrative form 247
6.7 Proposal in codified form 248
Summary in English 251
Summary in Dutch 259
Bibliography 267
Table of National Legislation 277
Table of International, Supranational and Regional Instruments 283
Table of Cases 285
Index 287
Curriculum Vitae 293
