German law governing general terms and conditions (Allgemeine Geschäftsbedingungen, GTC law) is often perceived as too strict, cumbersome, and difficult to navigate, in particular in the B2B sector. However, two developments this year have brought some movement to the issue. First, at the beginning of the year, the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) largely permitted the opting out of German GTC law in arbitration proceedings. Second, the new coalition government has (once again) put a reform of the GTC law on its legislative agenda.
The topic is also currently widely discussed in Poland. Yet, the developments are thought in the opposite direction. Observing the growing market inequalities, the Codification Commission is working on the introduction of GTC control for B2B contracts into the Polish Civil Code.
As part of our Polish-German lunch event series, we want to discuss what these developments could mean for Germany and Poland as legal venues, how both countries view these developments, and what they can learn from each other’s experience.
Prof. Dr. Dr. hc. Thomas Pfeiffer, one of Germany’s most respected experts on GTC law and a well-versed arbitration practitioner, will discuss these issues with Maciej Bujalski, who is a member of the working group of the Codification Commission for introduction of GTC control for B2B contracts and is currently writing his doctoral thesis on this topic at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.
Please join us for this insightful event and Polish-German cross-border exchange.
DIS/Lewiatan/PAA/PCC Arbitration Group: GTC law in (arbitration in) Poland and Germany
Date: 25 November 2025, 12.30 am – 1.45 pm
The event will be held in the form of a video conference.
Participation in this event is free of charge. For further information, please refer to the programme.
Registration:
Please register by 23 November 2025 via the link below. By registering you accept the DIS General Terms and Conditions for Conferences and Workshops.