Klauzule o nadležnom sudu u ugovorima o kružnim putovanjima pomorskih putnika

This paper represents a comparison between legal approaches to passenger protection in the United States and European Union. The author focuses on forum selection clauses in cruise passenger tickets and their treatment in proceedings following an accident related to the journey. In this context the author analyses the case law available to passengers in the United States and suggests certain changes in the treatment of forum selection clauses. Moreover, this paper introduces legal instruments available to cruise passengers in the European Union and gives a detailed analysis of EU approach towards jurisdiction clauses. Most importantly, the author draws conclusions from the comparison between the two legal systems and their approach to consumer protection.Tema ovoga članka je analiza klauzula u ugovorima o kružnim putovanjima pomorskih putnika (krstarenje, cruising) kojima stranke toga ugovora (prijevoznik i putnik) sporazumno određuju sud koji će biti nadležan za rješavanje njihovih međusobnih sporova iz toga ugovora. Autor analizira i uspoređuje uređenje pitanja dopustivosti i valjanosti klauzule o nadležnom sudu u navedenim ugovorima prema pravu SAD-a i pravu EU. Proučavajući relevantnu američku sudsku praksu, pisac upozorava da sudovi nedovoljno štite putnika kao slabiju ugovornu stranu. Za razliku od američkog prava, propisi EU (Briselska uredba o nadležnosti, priznanju i ovrsi sudskih odluka u građanskim i trgovačkim stvarima, Smjernica o nepoštenim ugovornim odredbama, Smjernica o paket putovanjima, paket odmorima i paket turama) pružaju veću zaštitu putnika kao slabijoj strani u socioekonomskom pogledu, ali i u pravno procesnom smislu. Pisac analizira i rješenje Atenske konvencije o prijevozu putnika i prtljage morem iz 2002. godine. U zaključnom dijelu pisac kritizira stajalište američkih sudova koji ne razlikuju potrošačke od trgovačkih ugovora te ocjenjuje da je rješenje prava EU o dopuštenosti i priznavanju klauzula o nadležnosti u ugovorima o prijevozu putnika na kružnim putovanjima prihvatljivije i suvremenije od rješenja američkog prava

Forum Selection Clauses: Different Regulations from the Perspective of Cruise Ship Passengers.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss treatment of forum clauses and their effect on the rights of passengers cruising around the world, with special focus on the U.S. law compared with the regulation in the European Union. Cruise ships often sail between several countries, and if a dispute arises between a cruise line and a passenger, the latter will often have a choice between several jurisdictions. This option is very frequently curtailed by forum clauses in the cruise passenger ticket contract which in advance designates a specific forum as an exclusive place for dispute resolution. Albeit it seems very practical to agree in advance on the place where a potential law suit should be brought, the inequality of bargaining power and other reasons might raise the question whether such terms are fair. Naturally, a dilemma arises whether the law should protect a passenger who waived his right to bring a suit in jurisdiction of his choice or if the law should give protection to a cruise line which acts in accordance with the general principle pacta sunt servanda