The “Guide on the law applicable to international commercial contracts in the Americas” was approved by the Inter-American Juridical Committee during its 94th ordinary session held in February 2019.

The Guide seeks to contribute to the harmonization of laws governing commercial contracts in the region, and to that end it proposes specific recommendations to various actors at the domestic level, such as legislators, adjudicatory bodies and parties to a contract, regardless of the legal regime prevailing within OAS member States. It is also expected to serve to stimulate economic integration, growth and development in the region.

The Guide integrates concepts codified by the Inter-American Convention on the Law Applicable to International Contracts ("Mexico Convention" of 1994) as well as the subsequent developments recognized by the Principles on Choice of Law in International Commercial Contracts, adopted in 2015 by The Hague Conference on Private International Law.

Since its adoption, the Guide has been widely disseminated among experts, academics and international organizations that welcomed it positively and have also recognized its important contribution, not only in the region but worldwide, all of which reinforces the relevance of the OAS role for the progressive development and codification of international law.

In accordance with the most recent mandate of the OAS General Assembly, the Department of International Law (DIL) in its capacity as Technical Secretariat for the Inter-American Juridical Committee (CJI), has been urged to disseminate the Guide as widely as possible [International Law, AG/RES. 2930]. In the furtherance of that mandate, DIL has continued to undertake a variety of activities that include informational meetings on the content of the Guide to international organizations, law schools as well as the Permanent Missions to the OAS.

For further information on this matter, please contact the Department of International Law of the OAS – Technical Secretariat of the Inter-American Juridical Committee +1 202 370 0743.