The explosion in transnational commerce has changed the world forever. International commerce and investment are increasing at an enormous rate and the rate of change is continuing to accelerate. The legal procedures applicable to the global community, however, have not kept pace and are still largely confined to and limited by individual national jurisdictions.

The Principles of Transnational Civil Procedure comprise an unprecedented international analysis and a unique statement of an internationally acceptable basis for dealing with the legal aspects of international disputes and controversies.

The Principles seek nothing less than to provide a system of legal procedures applicable to a wide-ranging variety of disputes throughout the world. It is an undertaking of enormous magnitude and its potential to improve cross-border and multinational commerce, trade, and investment is inestimable.

Too often, local legal and commercial procedures in practice operate, whether intentionally or otherwise, in a manner that favors local parties in transnational disputes. International investment and credit decisions must take into account local proclivities of this kind and, consequently, prospective commerce and investment are inevitably and invariably curtailed in order to allow for them.