ABSTRACT

Transformation of the Polish economic system after 1989 was facilitated by the reform of the civil law. Free market, entrepreneurship, and competition would not have been possible without recognition of the basic premise of party autonomy and freedom of contract. This chapter examines the evolution of the concept of party autonomy in contract law of a country which not only created, during the last years, a legal environment for a free market, but also embarked on ‘Europeanization’ of its legal system in the eve of its membership of the EU. The implementation of the Package Travel Directive is used to illustrate the latter aspect of law reform and its practical results.