Party Autonomy for Married, Registered and Informal Couples under Private International Law: A Comparative Guide

International couples increasingly face legal uncertainty when their relationships span more than one jurisdiction. Differences in national laws, combined with the absence of a uniform European framework, raise difficult questions concerning the legal consequences of relationship breakdowns. This authoritative Comparative Guide addresses these challenges by examining party autonomy in private international law (PIL) as a crucial instrument for enhancing legal certainty.

Key Features:

• Provides key information for courts and related parties in facilitating informed choices and reducing litigation risks
• Adopts a practitioner-oriented structure, enabling quick identification of choice-of-court and choice-of-law options
• Presents structured chapters from across 26 European jurisdictions to provide a comparative overview of EU and national PIL
• Systematically integrates EU and national PIL, including Brussels IIter, Rome III, Maintenance Regulation and property regimes
• Addresses pressing issues including divorce, separation, maintenance, property and pension rights for married couples, registered partnerships, same-sex marriages and informal relationships

This Comparative Guide is an essential resource for practitioners of European family law, private international law and cross-border dispute resolution. Policymakers in EU institutions as well as legal scholars will benefit from its comprehensive analysis and actionable approaches.