Brussels, 03/08/2004 (Agence Europe) - In order to facilitate the establishment of a "Common Frame of Reference" (CFR) setting out the common principles, definitions and rules required to improve Community legislation governing contract law, the Commission invites all stakeholder parties - consumer organisations, lawyers, business groups and professional associations - to join a new network that it plans to create.
The "CFR-Net) will be responsible for ensuring that the initial preparatory work, entrusted to professors of law, answer the concrete problems facing economic operators in all their transactions governed by contract law within the internal market, whether it be businesses selling products or services to other businesses or purchases made by consumers. The Commission trusts that the CFR-Net will be able to draw on as wide a range as possible of different legal traditions and different economic interests across the EU, including industry, trade, the service sector, financial services, legal practitioners, notaries, judges, arbitrators and consumers' associations.
The creation of a Common Frame of Reference is foreseen in the Commission's action plan on Community law that establishes a roadmap for a more coherent approach to contract law by the EU.
Persons wishing to take part in the network will find all relevant information available at: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/fair_bus_pract/cont_law/index_en.htm. They have until 4 October to send their applications to the Commission by post and until 10 October for those sent by email or fax.