Party Autonomy as a Rule of Conflict of Laws in Non-contractual Obligations

Party autonomy indebted its own genesis and development to the evolutions in general field of contract. After stabilization in this field and becoming a main principle of conflict of laws in contracts, it has extended to other fields of private international law. Non-contractual obligations which alongside with contractual obligations constitute the most part of legal obligations, are the most important and the newest part of the law in which the idea of “party autonomy” has permeated. In 2007, Rome II regulation on the law applicable to non-contractual obligations, passed with the purpose of unification of the conflict of laws rules among the European Union’s member States. This regulation, providing “party autonomy” in article 14, recognized the will of the parties in non-contractual obligations. Nowadays, we can say that primary conflict of laws rule in the legal system of EU’s member states, in the field of legal obligations (contractual and non-contractual), is “party autonomy”. In Iran we need to have a rule of conflict of laws to deal with non-contractual obligations. For this purpose and for the knowledge of Iranian lawyers the study of EU legal system on the issue will help as an experience.