This volume analyses thirteen cases, from the perspective of sixteen national European legal systems, in order to explore the legal nature of the precontractual phase and the liability which may follow a break-off of precontractual negotiations. The precontractual phase is difficult to characterise and analyse in either legal or practical terms. The negotiating parties have begun their journey together, but they are not yet in the relationship the contract which is their aim. The negotiations may fail after a lengthy period in which either party may have incurred significant expenses and...

The French Civil Code, which governs the law of obligations in France, has remained unchanged since 1804 and has served as the model for civil codes across the world. In 2016, the French Government enacted legislation repealing much of this law. This work looks at the effect of this action and the new provisions for French contract law. Drawing on the expertise of comparative lawyers working on French law and the law of other civil codes, it explores the lively debates between French and other scholars on the merits (or demerits) of the reform. It will make these seismic and fundamental...