Familiarity with guarantees and how they function under various national jurisdictions are essential for principals, guarantors, and beneficiaries of international contracts. This enormously useful handbook provides a practical overview of the guarantee regimes in twenty-eight European countries, with country-by-country contributions from regional expert practitioners and academics. For easy comparison, each country report follows the same structure, from preliminary discussion on the provisions of a guarantee to its negotiation, drafting, and enforcement. Focusing on specific issues to consider at every stage, each chapter provides detailed information and guidance on such aspects as the following: . who can issue guarantees; . limitations as to the type of obligations which may be subject to a guarantee; . issues relating to the protection of the contracting parties; . formal requirements which need to be complied with; . stamp duties or other tax payable; . presence of implied terms; . legal framework applicable to joint and several obligations; . modification of the situation; . conditions for release and actions to be taken to ensure a valid release; . opening of bankruptcy proceedings against the principal; . court enforcement; and . incorporation of uniform rules. Each chapter includes references and model guarantee forms that readers can use to draft their own documents. Invaluable to corporate counsel and law firms with an international practice, this peerless handbook will prove the first order of business in trade negotiations across Europe, among European nations themselves as well as with their global partners.