International Relations Researches

International Relations Researches

The Regime of Cross-Border Civil Liability Claims in Consumer Law: A Comparative Study of Iran, the European Union, and the United States

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Atefeh Sodagari 1
Hasan Badini 2
1 PhD Student, Department of Private Law, Kish International Campus, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/irr.2026.606081.2934
Abstract
Determining the law applicable to cross-border civil liability claims involving consumers is a major challenge in private international law. The expansion of international trade, increasingly complex production and distribution chains, and rising disputes over defective goods and services have highlighted the need to reconsider traditional conflict-of-laws rules. Using a descriptive-analytical method and a comparative approach, this study examines how consumer-protection principles, including the protection of the weaker party, effective compensation, legal predictability, and access to justice, influence the determination of applicable law in the European Union, the United States, and Iran. The findings indicate that the European Union’s Rome II Regulation, particularly its rules on product liability, seeks to balance the protection of injured parties with legal foreseeability and a meaningful connection between the dispute and the relevant legal system. In the United States, flexible conflict-of-laws approaches, including the most significant relationship test, allow courts to consider governmental interests and the circumstances of individual cases, but do not necessarily prioritize consumer interests. By contrast, Iran lacks a comprehensive and explicit framework for resolving conflicts of laws in cross-border consumer disputes, while reliance on traditional rules creates challenges in addressing their complexity. The study concludes that Iran should develop clear conflict-of-laws rules tailored to consumer disputes and apply connecting factors, including the closest connection, in a balanced manner. Such reforms could strengthen consumer protection while preserving legal certainty and predictability.
Keywords
Cross-Border Tort Claims
A Conflict of Laws
Iran, United States, EU
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