[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 71713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-27979]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 6431]


U.S. Department of State Advisory Committee on Private 
International Law: Working Group on Conflicts of Law

    A Working Group on Conflicts of Law has been established under the 
Department of State Advisory Committee on Private International Law to 
consider issues relating to choice of law, applicable law and dispute 
resolution.
    In the context of the Seventh Inter-American Specialized Conference 
on Private International Law (CIDIP-VII), the Committee on Juridical 
and Political Affairs of the Permanent Council of the Organization of 
American States (OAS) is carrying out work on consumer rights as part 
of its program on private law. Three proposals have been put forward: a 
Brazilian draft convention on applicable law, a Canadian draft model 
law on jurisdiction and applicable law, and a United States proposal in 
the form of legislative guidelines and model laws/rules to promote 
consumer redress mechanisms such as small claims tribunals, collective 
procedures, on-line dispute resolution, and government actions.
    The United States is also considering whether to pursue 
ratification of the Inter-American Convention on the Law Applicable to 
International Contracts (known as the Mexico City Convention), which 
was adopted at the Fifth Inter-American Specialized Conference on 
Private International Law (CIDIP-V), and whether a possible protocol to 
that Convention on choice of law concerning consumer protection would 
be desirable. Other developments which may be relevant to work at the 
OAS include proposals at UNCITRAL for future work on on-line dispute 
resolution, proposals at the Hague Conference on Private International 
Law for work on a non-binding instrument on choice of law in business 
to business transactions, and the recently concluded Hague Convention 
on Choice of Court Agreements.
    Accordingly, the Advisory Committee's Working Group on Conflicts of 
Law will hold a public meeting to obtain views on the three consumer 
protection proposals identified above and the Mexico City Convention.
    Time and Place: The public meeting will take place at the Federal 
Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Room H-294, Washington, 
DC on December 10, 2008, from 10 a.m. EST to 4 p.m. EST. If you are 
unable to attend the public meeting and would like to participate from 
a remote location, teleconferencing will be available.
    Public Participation: Advisory Committee Study Group meetings are 
open to the public. Persons wishing to attend must contact Trisha 
Smeltzer at [email protected] or 202-776-8423 and provide their 
name, e-mail address, and affiliation(s). Please contact Ms. Smeltzer 
for additional meeting information, any of the documents referenced 
above, or dial-in information on the conference call. Persons who 
cannot attend or participate by conference call but who wish to comment 
on any of the topics referred to above are welcome to do so by e-mail 
to Michael Dennis at [email protected].

    Dated: November 10, 2008.
Keith Loken,
Assistant Legal Adviser, Office of Private International Law, Office of 
the Legal Adviser, Department of State.
[FR Doc. E8-27979 Filed 11-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-08-P