Contractual Liability

Cryptocurrencies and distributed ledger technology became a revolutionary and insightful phenomenon that provide benefits of decentralized payment system, quasi- or complete anonymity, and lower transaction fees for cryptocurrency users. Despite all the advantages, the crypto domain also imposes challenges on the market participants. The long-lasting status quo of governments and their refusal to quickly clarify the rights and obligations of cryptocurrency service providers and offerors of crypto-related contracts has given rise to uncertainty on civil liability issues in the crypto sphere. Thus, many private actors – companies and users – are suffering from financial losses.
The thesis intends to outline the main pitfalls in contractual cryptocurrency relations and provide clarification of possible liability issues that may occur. The research refers to findings in the relevant case law as well as gives an overview of legal provisions found in national legislation, regional and international frameworks that might help to eliminate the uncertainty of contractual liability.
The question of the tortious liability has been raised in the thesis. In particular, cryptocurrency platforms and programmers’ duty of care, as well as its breach, may lead to civil claims regarding the tort of negligence. The possible breach of statutory duty by crypto companies and developers has been also explored in the work. The purpose of all information provided by the thesis is to safeguard private actors’ interests, prevent damages in the future, and propose solutions that will alleviate existing risks in the cryptocurrency domain.

Keywords: blockchain, civil liability, contractual liability, cryptocurrency, tortious liability.

Monografia „Răspunderea civilă contractuală” a fost elaborată cu scopul de a realiza o analiză detaliată a  răspunderii civile contractuale,  sub toate aspectele:  raportul dintre această instituție juridică și celelalte remedii ale neexecutării, domeniul de aplicare, condițiile în care poate interveni răspunderea, modalitatea de reparare a prejudiciului contractual, cauzele justificative de neexecutare, clauzele de exonerare sau de limitare de răspundere, clauzele convenționale de evaluare a cuantumului prejudiciului etc.

Prin prezentul  demers științific s-a urmărit totodată o identificare a problemelor controversate din această materie, precum și oferirea unor  soluții argumentate în vederea rezolvării respectivelor probleme, astfel încât să fie un  ghid necesar în soluționarea litigiilor derivate din neexecutarea obligațiilor contractuale.

În vederea  realizării acestei monografii s-a procedat la  o examinare  a practicii judiciare recente (aproximativ 400 de hotărâri judecătorești pronunțate de Curțile de Apel  și de  Înalta Curte de Casație și Justiție), ceea ce conferă prezentei lucrări un caracter preponderent practic.

Lucrarea reprezintă teza de doctorat susținută în anul 2020 la Facultatea de Drept a Universității București, pentru care a fost acordată ce mai înaltă distincție (summa cum laude).

The main subject of the article consists in extracting the indemnification provisions as sui generis clauses of extended liability regime agreed between the parties to a contract and in examining the possibility of securing the obligation arising from the indemnification clause by additional contractual instrument (e.g. a contractual penalty). The functioning of indemnification clauses in the Polish legal system has not been comprehensively discussed in the literature. The main discussion concerned the normative grounds for separating of that type of provisions, in particular in the context of Articles 391 and 392 of the Polish Civil Code. A little attention was paid to practical consequences of using this clauses by the parties. This article, in addition to the Author's statement regarding the definition, mode of action and effects of using indemnification clauses in Polish law, also concerns the admissibility of securing the obligation from the indemnification clause by an add...