The validity of contracts under the explititation of situational or relational vulnerability--Seeking for the contract principle which can bring social inclusion to vulnerable people

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03416
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Civil law
• Research Institution: Hosei University
• Principal Investigator: SUGA Fumie 法政大学, 経済学部, 教授 (50386380)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 不公正な取引手法に関するEU指令 / 脆弱な消費者 / 状況的脆弱性 / 不当威圧・過度な影響力行使 / 状況・関係性の濫用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research focuses on the modernization of the old English case law of "undue influence", which can set aside contracts which seem to have been made under the exploitation of situational and relational vulnerability. Because the burden of proof is on the defendant,under this principle, for establishing that the contract which seems "strange" for the claimer has been fairly made, it can be expected that this principle would give traders lots of incentives for treating their vulnerable customers fairly and carefully. Through this research a new idea of consumer contract law which is designed truly for all has been occurred.

Free Research Field

民法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

4年間の研究期間内において、単著の出版（1冊）、論文発表（15本）、国内学会報告（2回）、国際学会報告（招聘1回）、国際シンポジウムの開催（1回）、海外渡航調査（9回）を行った。特に、単著については、第4回津谷裕貴消費者法学術実践賞（学術）を受賞した。国際共同研究を積極的に行うと同時に、消費者庁、金融庁、内閣府消費者委員会や弁護士会などから招聘を受け、研究を通して得た専門知識の社会的普及に努めた。