1999 was an important turning

point in the development of Private International Law in the EU. Prior to 1999

only two EU Conventions were in force in this area: the Convention on

Jurisdiction and the Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters

of 1968 (1968 Brussels Convention) and Convention 80/934/EEC on the Law

Applicable to Contractual Obligations of 1980 (1980 Rome Convention). In 1999,

when the Treaty of Amsterdam entered into force, the Community was afforded

competence to take measures in the field of Private International Law. The

harmonisation and codification of Private International Law in the EU must be

assessed within the policy objective to create and maintain a genuine area of

justice.