Party autonomy and freedom of contract are fundamental values of our private law system. However, does and should private law also pursue an overarching purpose.
The Center for Regulation and Contract Law (CRCL) examines how contract law can be used legitimately in regulation to uphold welfare goals such as resource optimization, sustainability, prohibition of discrimination, preventing over-indebtedness, and ensuring affordable housing. It employs (behavioral) economic research and assess the impact of legal norms on individual behavior through empirical legal research methods. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, the center provides research, education, and advisory support to regulators.
https://www.crcl.uzh.ch/en/Home.html