The purpose of the study is to evaluate the practical problems caused by the lack of harmonisation of the conflict of laws rules concerning companies and the possibilities for harmonising such rules, if necessary in combination with a harmonisation of certain matters of procedure or substantive law. For this purpose, the study will conduct a comparative analysis on the provisions of private international law, and, where relevant for the purpose of the study, substantive law related to companies in the 28 Member States. It will, in addition, carefully analyse the relationship with other areas of private international and substantive law and set out the pros and cons of the solutions proposed.