This volume contains the reports and discussions presented at the conference "The Future of Secured Credit in Europe" in Munich from July 12th to July 14th, 2007. It aims at taking the debate to a new stage by exploring the need and possible avenues for creating a European law of security interests. The first part examines – from an economic and a community law perspective – the case for European lawmaking on secured credit and the legislative approach to be taken. The intention in the second and third part is to look in more detail at the choices European lawmakers will have to make in devising a European law of secured credit. The second part focuses on secured transactions involving corporeal movables (tangibles), whereas the third part considers categories of collateral that may require special rules.

Winner of the 2016–2018 KG Idman Prize. This monograph seeks the optimal way to promote compatibility between systems of proprietary security rights in Europe, focusing on security rights over tangible movables and receivables. Based on comparative research, it proposes how best to tackle cross-border problems impeding trade and finance, notably uncertainty of enforceability and unexpected loss of security rights. It offers an extensive analysis of the academic literature of more recent years that has appeared in English, German, the Scandinavian languages and Finnish. The author organises the concrete means of promoting compatibility into a centralised substantive approach, a centralised conflicts-approach, a local conflicts-approach and a local substantive approach. The centralised approaches develop EU law, and the local approaches Member State laws. The substantive approaches unify or harmonise substantive law, while the conflicts approaches rely on private international law. The author proposes determining the optimal way to promote compatibility by objective-based division of labour between the four approaches. The objectives developed for that purpose are derived from the economic functions of security rights, the conditions for legal evolution and a transnational conception of justice. This book is an important contribution to the future of secured transactions law in Europe and more widely. It will be of interest to academics, policymakers and legal practitioners involved in this field.

The last 30-or-so years have witnessed several rounds of debate on the desirability (in terms of efficiency or otherwise) of secured credit and the priority that usually goes with it in the debtor's bankruptcy. Much to the disappointment of those seeking policy lessons from the debate, its outcomes were inconclusive at best. At worst, to the extent that they convincingly suggested that secured credit might be causing inefficiencies at least in some circumstances (mostly where security is granted under circumstances that prevent other creditors from adjusting the terms of their lending) they were widely inconsistent with the across-the-board practical consensus that security (and the priority it affords to the secured lender) is a key factor in the development of credit markets.In addition to being inconclusive, the debate has thus far been conducted exclusively in microeconomic terms. However, recent contributions to our understanding of the role that credit plays in the economy, based on the ideas of the late economist Hyman Minsky, suggest that the micro view, while certainly enlightening, might not be the only, or indeed the most important vantage point from which legal theory could and should inform its views of secured credit and its social benefits and costs.The purpose of this article is to make some initial sketches of this possible research program and posit some arguments why secured credit, and in particular certain of its forms, might exacerbate the harmful role that (certain types of) credit seem to play in the economy. Using examples from the harmonized law of the EU, the article suggests that, disturbingly, European law has thus far mainly lent support to socially harmful forms of secured credit.

McCormack examines English law on Secured Credit, highlighting its weaknesses, and evaluating possible remedies. Contains the text of Article 9.

'Professor McCormack has taken the challenge to write a truly original book about secured transactions, which is rather good news when so many publications seem to rehash the same ideas. He is not afraid to tackle questions usually ignored by lawyers, such as the political aspects of harmonisation of law. This should challenge all involved to seriously re-examine the premises on the basis of which they work.' - Frederique Dahan, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

In the light of the financial crisis, it has become clear that the globalisation of financial markets has not been matched by the globalisation of legal certainty relating to financial transactions. The ability to give security influences not only the cost of credit but also, in some cases, whether credit will be available at all. Increasing the availability and lowering the cost of credit can make an important contribution to international and domestic economic development. Assessing the international challenges posed by inefficient secured credit laws, this book explores how these can be overcome to facilitate credit through legal reforms. Leading authorities in the field address the key issues surrounding the availability of credit, the role of banks in economic development and financial crises, UNCITRAL's legislative efforts, and international organisations and financial institutions and their involvement in the reform of secured transactions law --

In the light of the financial crisis, it has become clear that the globalisation of financial markets has not been matched by the globalisation of legal certainty relating to financial transactions. The ability to give security influences not only the cost of credit but also, in some cases, whether credit will be available at all. Increasing the availability and lowering the cost of credit can make an important contribution to international and domestic economic development. Assessing the international challenges posed by inefficient secured credit laws, this book explores how these can be overcome to facilitate credit through legal reforms. Leading authorities in the field address the key issues surrounding the availability of credit, the role of banks in economic development and financial crises, UNCITRAL's legislative efforts, and international organisations and financial institutions and their involvement in the reform of secured transactions law --