The effect of the principle of good faith in the EU law upon English contract law during Britain’s membership of the European Union

Abstract

The subject of this research is the effect of international legal representations of good faith reflected in the EU law upon English contract law pertaining to apparent borrowing and interpretation of this doctrine during Britain’s membership of the European Union. The author reviews the content of representations of good faith in English contract law, as well as probable changes of these views under the influence of EU law. The author determines the similarities and differences in interpretation of this concept in English common law during Britain’s membership of the European Union. A number of European directives that regulate international public relations and international private relations in the European Union contain the requirement of fair business practice and compliance with the requirements of good faith. Although, these acts had supremacy over British national legislation, which left a mark on English legal doctrine. The main conclusions consist in the establishment of versatile nature of the international legal concept of good faith of the EU law and the effect of representations of this concept upon the views of British legal experts in the field of English contract law. The article presents the contrary viewpoints on the content of requirements of good faith in the EU law and their perception by English contract law on the practical and doctrinal levels. The author also reveals certain common features and fundamental differences in interpretation of good faith in the EU law based on the EU normative acts and decisions of the European Court of Justice, as well as in the British landmark decisions and normative acts that regulate contractual relations in England and Wales.