Law of the People's Republic of China on the Application of Laws to Foreign-Related Civil Relations

要点解读 Key Points

中文导读

《中华人民共和国涉外民事关系法律适用法》2010年10月28日通过，2011年4月1日起施行，是中国涉外民商事的“冲突法”——决定跨境合同、婚姻家庭、继承、侵权、知识产权等争议究竟适用哪国法律。

• 合同可自选准据法（第3、41条）：当事人可明示选择合同适用的法律；没有选择的，适用履行义务最能体现合同特征的一方经常居所地法律或最密切联系地法律。跨境合同务必写明准据法条款。
• 兜底与强制性规定（第2、4、5条）：无法确定适用法律的，适用最密切联系地法律；中国法律中的强制性规定直接适用；适用外国法会损害中国社会公共利益的，适用中国法。
• 不适用反致、外国法须查明（第9、10条）：适用的外国法不包括该国的冲突法规则；外国法由法院、仲裁机构或行政机关查明，选择适用外国法的一方应当提供该国法律，查不明或无规定的适用中国法。
• 婚姻家庭（第21、26、27条）：结婚条件适用共同经常居所地法律；协议离婚可选择一方经常居所地或国籍国法律；诉讼离婚适用法院地法律。
• 继承（第31—33条）：法定继承适用被继承人死亡时经常居所地法律，不动产法定继承适用不动产所在地法律；遗嘱形式符合立遗嘱时或死亡时经常居所地、国籍国或遗嘱行为地法律的即成立。
• 物权（第36、37条）：不动产物权适用不动产所在地法律；动产物权当事人可协议选择。
• 侵权（第44、45条）：适用侵权行为地法律，共同经常居所地的除外；产品责任适用被侵权人经常居所地法律，被侵权人也可选择侵权人主营业地或损害发生地法律。
• 知识产权（第48—50条）：归属、内容和侵权责任均适用被请求保护地法律；转让和许可使用可协议选择。
• 劳动合同（第43条）：适用劳动者工作地法律；难以确定的适用用人单位主营业地法律。

English Key Points

The Law on the Application of Laws to Foreign-Related Civil Relations, adopted October 28, 2010 and effective April 1, 2011, is China's conflict-of-laws statute — it decides which country's law governs cross-border contracts, marriage and family, succession, torts and IP.

• Party autonomy (Arts. 3, 41): parties may expressly choose the law governing a contract; absent choice, the law of the habitual residence of the party rendering characteristic performance, or the most closely connected law, applies. Always include a governing-law clause in cross-border contracts.
• Fallback and mandatory rules (Arts. 2, 4, 5): closest-connection law where nothing else fits; Chinese mandatory provisions apply directly; Chinese law prevails where foreign law would harm China's public interests.
• No renvoi; foreign law must be ascertained (Arts. 9, 10): the applicable foreign law excludes its conflict-of-laws rules; courts/arbitral bodies ascertain it, the party choosing it must supply it, and Chinese law applies if it cannot be ascertained.
• Marriage and family (Arts. 21, 26, 27): marriage conditions follow the common habitual residence; divorce by agreement may use one party's habitual residence or nationality law; divorce by litigation follows the forum.
• Succession (Arts. 31–33): statutory succession follows the decedent's habitual residence at death, immovables follow the situs; a will's form is valid if it conforms to the law of habitual residence or nationality (at making or death) or the place of making.
• Real rights (Arts. 36, 37): immovables follow the situs; parties may choose the law for movables.
• Torts (Arts. 44, 45): law of the place of the tort, except where parties share a habitual residence; product liability follows the victim's habitual residence, with the victim's option for the tortfeasor's principal place of business or place of damage.
• IP (Arts. 48–50): ownership, content and infringement liability follow the law of the place where protection is sought; assignment and licensing may be chosen by agreement.
• Employment (Art. 43): law of the place of work; employer's principal place of business if undeterminable.

本页面解读基于公开文本整理，仅供参考，不构成法律意见。具体案件请咨询执业律师。
This summary is based on the published text and is for reference only; it does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for your specific case.