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THE CONCEPTUAL ROLE OF HABITUAL RESIDENCE
resolution the concept of nationality gained a primacy which was then retained for
a long time.
Th
e Institut de Droit International
fixed the primary position of the general
principle of nationality.
41
The Oxford resolution on status, capacity, and succession
and other recommendations as well were addressed to legislators and jurists of
various branches. This principle found a legislative reflection and was codified in
the national law of various states in several continents. Mancini himself meant
to recognize some general principles of choice of law, including the principle of
nationality, by means of a codification treaty. His idea had a real substance. Italy,
where Mancini was in the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs, took charge
of the codification negotiations. The Italian government suggested commencing
spadework.
42
However the reaction of European powers was not outright. Only
Netherlands supported the plan to negotiate on a multilateral agreement.
The Institute was not the only international non-governmental body in the field of
codification of private international law. The
Association for the Reform and Codification
of the Law of Nations
initiated the organisation of a diplomatic conference on the
execution of foreign judgements motivated by their session in September 1883. The
Italian government reacted positively and addressed many governments, but the efforts
were to no avail. The same idea was taken over by Netherland’s government in 1874.
Their codification efforts were supported by a group of states not earlier than 1893,
when the first international conference was convened at Hague with the purpose of
discussing various questions of family law and general principles on conflict of laws.
43
The first four Hague conferences took place in 1893, 1894, 1900 and 1904.
The five conventions related to practical questions of family law were prepared very
quickly during the conferences. The sessions raised a slight optimism rather than
a legal
fin de siècle
.
44
The purpose of the conferences on private international law
was,
inter alia
, to overcome divergences of views towards connecting factors.
45
The
41
Institut de Droit International, Session de Lausanne,1888, Conclusions concernant les principes
communs au droit civil et au droit commercial (Rapporteur : M. Ludwig von Bar): «Conformément aux
principes adoptés à Oxford, la capacité d‘une personne, en matière commerciale comme en matière civile,
se détermine d‘après sa loi nationale.»
42
Mancini was Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1881.
43
DROZ, Georges A. L. A Comment on the Role of the Hague Conference on Private International Law.
Law and Contemporary Problems
, 1994, Vol. 57, No. 3, p. 2.
44
Convention du 12 Juin 1902 pour régler les conflicts de lois en matière de mariage; Convention du
12 Juin 1902 pour régler les conflicts de lois et de juridictions en matière de divorce et de séparations
de corps; Convention du 12 Juin 1902 pour régler la tutelle des mineurs; Convention du 17 juillet
1905 concernant les conflits de lois relatifs aux effets du mariage sur les droits et les devoirs des époux
dans leurs rapports personnels et sur les biens des époux; Convention du 17 juillet 1905 concernant
l‘interdiction et les mesures de protection analogues.
45
International Court of Justice,
Case concerning the application of the Convention of 1902 Governing the
Guardianship of Infants
(Netherlands v. Sweden), Judgment of November 28
th
, 1958, p. 16.